Fundraising is NOT a Data Driven Profession

I know some among us would like to believe that it is, especially with the advent of data tools available today (and the consultants who pitch them).

So, if not data driven, then what?  Wait for it...

Relationship driven!  (did you hear the crescendo?)

Seems obvious enough.  And, like most truths, the obvious ones are often overlook.  Remembering that fundraising is fundamentally a relationship driven profession can be especially helpful when  recruiting.  I recently shared my thoughts on Hiring Great Fundraisers in a separate post.  One characteristic that I neglected to mention as a possible screen is what we might call "relationship orientation, or capacity".  My bad.  I had completely taken that for granted (again, so easy to overlook the obvious), and I strongly encourage you not to.

So, how do we screen for relationship orientation/capacity.  One way is through the reference checking process.  In addition to asking prospective new hires for previous supervisors, colleagues, and direct reports (in the case of managers), I suggest you also ask the finalist candidate for a small number of donors (including board members) with whom they've worked.  Yes, I know that adds to your workload.  And yes, I believe it's worth it.  In the past, I've interviewed at least six to eight references before making an offer.  (P.S.--This is not an activity you want to outsource to HR)

Another way of getting at the heart of the matter either for a candidate or for an existing team member who is struggling in a front-line role is to ask them to take the HBDI Assessment.  While no assessment is definitive, the HBDI does help get a handle on preferences for quantitative/analytical work versus relational/intuitive roles.  I recently took the assessment and scored strongly in the relational quadrant.  When under stress I go there even more strongly.  Not surprising for a professional coach with a fundraising background.

I bring this topic to the forefront because our culture is becoming obsessed with data (especially in university advancement/development organizations).  While I believe data analysis can be helpful in identifying prospective donors and their philanthropic inclinations, I assert there is no substitute for face-to-face conversations that deepen relationships between donors and the causes/institutions they care about.  AND, when hiring fundraisers to have those conversations, it is essential that leaders select for individuals with strong relationship orientation/capacity.

Hey, Fundraisers--Shift Happens!

This past weekend I was part of a leadership team that facilitated a workshop aimed at helping professionals identify and shift perspectives around the way they see issues/topics/problems.  I love this work, because as a coach and fundraiser I often interact with individuals who get "stuck" in a particular way of looking at a situation.

Let's say you're working with a donor whose husband recently passed away from a brain tumor.  The donor may believe that medical center where her husband was treated receives sufficient funding for research from government sources.  As a fundraiser, you know better, and you ask the donor if she is willing to explore other perspectives.  She's open (after all, the two of you have a good relationship), and you proceed to share that a youthful member medical team is exploring the use of viruses to reverse the growth of brain tumor cells.  The research is in it's early stages and the scientist could use $100k to gather enough preliminary data to write a grant proposal for significant funds that could advance the work into animal and human testing.  She's intrigued.  She knows the team, she trusts you, and she asks to meet the researcher to discuss what is needed.  Wham!  Perspective shifted.

Yes, sometimes it is that easy to move folks from "stuck" to "action".

In coaching we use this technique to help clients explore various perspectives around a topic in their personal or professional lives in order to make powerful commitments about what they really want to say YES to, and what they absolutely need to say NO to (see: The One Skill Every Fundraiser Must Cultivate).  And, this work can have powerful as well as long-lasting effects.  Nearly two and a half years ago after being on the receiving end of some good coaching, I made a commitment to loosening up (a state of being) and dressing more casually (an action that reflects the state of being).  I can share that to this day, I am much more peaceful (loose), and my dress code reflects the sub-tropical climate in which I now currently reside (flip-flops, and all).

Twerps, Jerks, and Other Petty Tyrants

Growing up my father used the expression "twerp" as a pejorative slur for any leader not meeting his high standards for character.  As a man with a strong moral compass and a rock-solid ethical foundation who is held in high regard by his family, friends, students, and colleagues, I can assure you that any leader decried as a twerp by my father was summarily dismissed as not worthy of further consideration.

Yes, that's a bit harsh.  Yes, that's judgmental.  Yes, that's dismissive.  And, yes, there is wisdom in making such assessments of leaders (sooner, rather than later).  After all, the world is not yet replete with saints who step into leadership roles.  While I was blessed to have worked with some wonderful leaders in the corporate and non-profit sectors over 30 years, I can also report that I had my fair share of encounters with twerps, jerks, and other petty tyrants.  And, need I comment on similar "characters" we observe on the modern politic stage at the local, regional, national, and global level?

This is nothing new.  Recorded history gives us innumerable examples of leaders to emulate (or not) from Hammurabi to Hitler.  My own inclination is to follow the path of the "Bodhisattva", or one who is motivated by great compassion to achieve enlightenment not only for my own benefit, but for the benefit of all sentient beings.

I recognize that the Bodhisattva path is tall order, and it's not for everyone.   So, if you are drawn to leadership (or, already a leader) and at a point where you are unsure how to proceed, I recommend consideration of the following inquiry:

Who am I?

And....

What impact do I want to have in the world?

Simple, but not easy.  I believe that if you ask yourself these two questions over and over again until the answers become more clear, you'll be well on your way.

The One Skill Every Fundraiser Must Cultivate

Learning to say NO!

That's right.  For a profession consisting of tens of thousands of individuals trained in the art of inspiring folks to say YES, the most important skill fundraisers (especially fundraising leaders) can cultivate is saying NO.

You may ask: "How can that be?", and you may be thinking: "I've been conditioned much of my professional life to say yes."  And therein lies the rub.  Many of the fundraising leaders with whom I work as a professional coach have a very strong "Pleaser Saboteur".  A saboteur as defined by Shizard Chamine in his NY Times bestselling book Positive Intelligence is an automatic and habitual mind pattern with its own voice, beliefs, and assumptions that works against our best interests.  And, by definition a saboteur is insidious.  It works in the shadows in a gradual, subtle way with harmful effects.

In particular, the Pleaser Saboteur indirectly tries to gain acceptance by helping, pleasing, or flattering others.  The negative impact of the Pleaser is often one of burnout, as I observe fundraising leaders saying yes to far too many unimportant (although perhaps urgent) tasks that come their way.

So what is a leader to do?  Just say no?  As simple as it seems, that would be a very good start.  I've previously written about my own less is more philosophy.  In that post, I offered an inquiry: "Can we simplify our lives, and thereby make them more meaningful?"  I believe we can, and Greg McKeown is his excellent book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less  eloquently expands on the inquiry.

McKeown, a writer, speaker and Harvard Business Review blogger, offers concrete advice on how to deliberately focus on the vital few priorities that really count and dispense with the rest.  McKeown observes (as I have) that many professionals are over-busy and over-committed.  They continue to say yes to ever more commitments and deadlines without asking the following questions:

Is this truly essential?
How important is this to me?
What do I really want here?
Is this really how I want to choose to spend my time?
How is this aligned with my values and purpose?

I believe if you are truly honest with yourself (and ignore the voice of your Pleaser) when answering these questions, you will say NO to upwards of 90% of the requests and opportunities that come your way.  And by doing so you will have a much more powerful impact as a leader on your world, and with the people around you

I highly recommend McKeown's book, and I encourage you to incorporate more NO into your life.

Retaining Fundraisers (Hint: It's NOT All About The Money)

In the marketplace for fundraiser talent it is well known that demand currently outstrips supply. As a consequence, advancement and development leaders with whom I interact often describe one of the most (if not the most) significant challenges they face as the recruiting and retaining of frontliners and managers.  While the economic forces of supply and demand are certainly putting upward pressure on salaries, a common misconception about fundraiser retention is that it's "all about the money". 

That's a management and leadership cop-out because we know from multiple published annual employee satisfaction surveys that while compensation is a factor, the other four primary aspects that affect employee engagement retention include opportunities to use skills/abilities, job security, communication with management, and relationship with immediate supervisory (see, for example, the Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey by the Society for Human Resource Management).

So in addition to economic forces which do play a part, what are some of the other real reasons people leave.  According to employee retention expert Leigh Branham, author of The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late , while most people indicate that they are leaving for more money or a better opportunity, 88% change jobs because of negative factors in their current workplace, ranging from subpar people management to cultural misfit. Branham explains: “Citing increased pay and more opportunity is a convenient thing to say, and managers are all too willing to accept these reasons.”   Branham goes on to identify the top seven reasons people leave as follows:

1) The job or workplace was not as expected.

2) The mismatch between job and person.

3) Too little coaching and feedback.

4) Too few growth and advancement opportunities.

5) Feeling devalued and unrecognized.

6) Stress from overwork and work-life imbalance.

7) Loss of trust and confidence in supervisor or senior leaders.

 

So what is an advancement/development manager or leader to do?  I've written previously about the process of Hiring Great Fundrasiers which addresses reasons 1 and 2.  Providing continuous coaching and feedback is an obligation that managers must take on with gusto.  And let's be clear: feedback is about performance or the "how am I doing?", and coaching is about "where am I going?".  The latter question is related to growth and learning.  Fundraisers are an ambitious group (bordering on hyper-achieving). Nothing is more frustrating for an employee than discovering he or she is out of runway.  In today's environment it is incumbent upon the senior leadership team in larger advancement/development organizations to have a process that reviews all employees in the organization and their opportunities for growth. Branham advises organizations to provide easily accessible information on career paths and competency requirements that spell out how employees can progress.

Reasons 5 and 6 point toward environment and culture.  Fundraising in larger, complex institutions can be stressful and thankless work.  The demands to raise more money are never-ending, and while the donors are thanked for their generosity, fundraisers are frequently overlooked.  Creating an environment of appreciation, recognition, and gratitude not only for donors but also for the fundraisers who work with them goes a very long way on the path of retention.  And while having a culture of appreciation helps folks feel good about the work they are doing, it does address stress and the work/life imbalance that often accompanies the fundraising profession.  Dealing with this factor is among the top reasons mid-career advancement/development leaders hire me as a coach.  One of the ways we work together to reduce stress and overwhelm for them and their teams is to encourage a culture where everyone commits to a culture of play, improvisation, and laughter.  In honoring this commitment, individual look to maximize energy (not manage time), while getting sufficient rest and renewal.

Finally, at the most basic level, fundraisers want to know that they can be successful in their roles and they want to work with leadership that has integrity, and whom they can trust.   All too often (especially with development professionals assigned to an academic unit led by a Dean) I see confusion, competing priorities, lack of vision, and poor alignment/communication.  That, my friends, is a ready-made formula for turnover.  In this regard, Branham (and I) recommends that leaders inspire confidence with a clear vision, a workable plan, and a belief in employees’ competence to achieve it.

Dreamin' Big

This morning I awoke in the pre-dawn hours of my 52nd birthday with a piercing pain reverberating through my chest.  No need call 911, it was not a heart attack.  It was (and is) the pain that one can only experience by taking an inadvertent knee to the chest while rolling with a friend at my local gym (Paulo Riberio Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) yesterday.  It is a pain known only to those who choose (as Teddy Roosevelt said) to "dare greatly".

Many might call this foolhardy.  My own inner critic ("Sledgehammer") is certainly having a field day.  Between the ongoing physiological pain from my bruised rib cage and the psychological beating from Sledgehammer, perhaps a widow making heart attack would have been preferable.  But then again, I am living one of my dreams.  That dream was initially catalyzed by one of my father's returning Vietnam War veteran students who showed me a few moves many years ago so I could defend myself in the inevitable street scraps I experienced as very young boy growing up in Brooklyn.  That dream, which has been with me ever since, was to become proficient in a martial art.  That dream is one small expression of my life purpose.  That dream will take some time, effort, and perseverance to fully manifest (should my body last).  And, there's no guarantee that I'll achieve proficiency.  All I can say is that I am enjoying the path (despite the pain).

I share this story at the urging of my good friend Henna Inam who is manifesting one of her own dreams, which is to bring authenticity into the workplace.  I also share this story to encourage those leaders (fundraising and otherwise) who follow my posts to dream big, and as the authors of The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership counsel--live in your zone of genius (Commitment #8).  Yes, sometimes it's scary pursue a dream.  Yes, sometimes you get hurt (emotionally or physically).  Yes, it is uncomfortable to stretch beyond our zone of excellence where we already know our strengths and abilities and can excel with ease.

As fundraising leaders there is a temptation to become complacent, play it safe, and strive to hit our numbers each year.  Understandable.  We have families to support, bills to pay, and lifestyles to maintain.  I will assert that no institution (or individual) was ever transformed from that perspective.  Some donors want to fulfill their dreams of helping organizations they care about through their philanthropy, including the deployment of their time, talent, and treasure.  One of the great privileges of the fundraising profession is that we are in the rare position of helping donors dream big, while sharing their joy when those dreams come true.

Leading (and helping others lead) a fulfilled life where one pursues his or her dreams is a radical act.  So I'm curious: what unfulfilled dream do you intend to pursue, and will you wait until you're 52?

How to Succeed as a Fraudster (or not)

Wait a minute!  This is not a blog about politics.  This is a post about authentic leadership.  In today's cult of personality (note the root, "persona", or "mask") we can easily be duped into believing that someone is not quite who he or she purports to be. 

How refreshing and reassuring it is then, when folks just allow themselves to be who they are--without the persona.  It was along these lines that I recently had the privilege of  interviewing +Henna Inam, executive coach, speaker, and author of Wired for Authenticity. She also happens to be leading a tribe that is committed to bringing authenticity into the workplace. 

In our recorded discussion, Henna described her own struggles with being authentic when she worked in the corporate sector, and how putting herself out in the world by publishing the book was an act of authentic vulnerability.

For me, the topic of authenticity reminds me of a mountaineering metaphor.  When we advance in the face of uncertainty (as we do every day), touching into our true-selves is like placing a series pitons on the mountain face as we proceed.  By doing so, we can thread the rope of our lives through those pieces, and anchor ourselves to the strength of the mountain so that when adversity comes (as it always does), the impact of our fall is mitigated.  
  
As a leader, knowing who you are and leading from that perspective can be very powerful.  The trick is to first become aware of your authentic self and understand your impact on others.  The next trick is to always remember to tap into this strength when leading.

On the awareness front, I (and many leaders I know) have done significant self exploration.   Being aware of one's most authentic and compelling leadership style is a good start, however, it may not go far enough.  Leading from that style is another matter.  It's tempting (especially as a fundraising leader) to be like a chameleon to "fit in".  Over the years we become conditioned to put on certain masks in certain circumstances.  I assert that by doing so, our credibility becomes diminished, and while we may be able to achieve certain nominal results in the short run, transformational results are rarely achieved in the long run. 

If you are curious about this topic, Henna shares several good practices in her book that can help strengthen the anchors of authenticity.  And, if you're wondering how authentically expressed you are as a leader, then I strongly encourage you to take a complimentary, short (5min) online assessment that Henna created.  The assessment looks at the seven practices of authenticity, and it provides direct feedback on how authentic you are, as well as ways you can improve.

In closing I am reminded of what Polonias said to his son Laertes in Shakespeare's Hamlet: "This above all to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man".  Sound advice for leaders today (political or otherwise).

Dropping the "F-Bomb" At Work

That's right.  The word thou shalt not utter at work (or in polite company):  FAILURE!

Perhaps you missed a deadline, did not hit the mandated number of donor visits this month, or a donor you've been cultivating for some time said "no, not now" to the proposal you were counting on to achieve achieve your fundraising goal for the year. 

In dysfunctional teams, such "failure" is often met with criticism, shame, blame, and semi-public humiliation.  The implication is: "you're (I'm) a failure".  In high functioning teams, errors like these are met with compassion, growth, and learning.  The reaction is: "what are you (am I) learning" from this?

Not long ago, I wrote a post on the topic of Excellence vs. Perfectionism.  Individuals in perfectionist cultures are driven by the need to always be right.  There is an implicit or explicit the goal of not making any mistakes.  Cultures of excellence on the other hand are driven by curiosity.  Individuals here focus on always doing their best (and they forget the rest).  They know that their best can vary from day-to-day, month-to-month, and even year-to-year.  After all, a junior fundraiser's best is likely not to be as good as that of the veteran fundraiser who has more experience.

As fundraisers it is also important to keep in mind that many of the leaders in our profession became excellent in their craft/trade on the job (they learned by doing).  They went out on donor visits and had conversations  They saw what worked, and even more importantly, they saw what did not work. While it's tempting to believe that somehow we can codify all this knowledge into some compendium that can be read and applied, I believe that's a fool's errand.  A better course of action is to provide a little structure, and allow those in our charge to, as Teddy Roosevelt said: "fail while daring greatly".

Arguably, the following section of Roosevelt's Man in the Arena speech delivered 23-April-1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris, France is the fundraiser's anthem:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

So, what kind of culture are you encouraging?  One where F-Bombs are met with celebration or a bar of soap?

Accountability...Without Judgement

In his 2002 business classic, The Five Dysfunction of a Team, Patrick Lencioni describes "Avoidance of Accountability" as one of the core behaviors that teams exhibit when they are dysfunctional.  In Pat's words: "In the context of teamwork...it refers specifically to the [un]willingness of team members to call their peers on performance or behaviors that might hurt the team."

Easier said then done.  Many teams (even ones where the members have excellent interpersonal relationships) avoid accountability because of the possible discomfort involved with having difficult conversations that may be emotionally charged.

Recently, I discussed this topic with a friend who leads a mid-sized manufacturing company that has multiple teams producing products 24/7.  He was wondering if there were any "leading indicators" (or, data) that could predict team accountability.  So far, our research has concluded that there are none we could identify.

Accountability is one of the main reasons executives hire a professional coach, and shareholders/boards hire professional management to run teams. So, as a coach (and when I was running the team at Princeton) here's what accountability looks like (simple example):

Coach/Manager--Will you do X? 
Client/Employee--(Yes, No, Counter-offer).  Yes.  I'll do X.
Coach/Manager--When will you do it by?
Client/Employee--By close of business next Tuesday.
Coach/Manager--How will I know?
Client/Employee--I'll review it with you in our 1:1 next Wed. (I'll email you, I'll text you, I'll call you, etc.)

Next Tuesday 1:1 (or coaching session).  Accountability at the top of the agenda:

Coach/Manager--So, how did it go with X?
Client/Employee--It's done (or, it's not done)
Coach/Manager--(If done)  What was the result?  (If not done) Why not?  What do you intend to do now?
Client/Employee--This was the result.  Or, X is no longer necessary because.....  Or, I tried X and it failed, etc.
Coach/Manager--What did you learn?  (always harvest the learning) What's next?

As a manager, I did this weekly in the staff meeting (so as to create an environment of trust and transparency).  We always started the staff meeting with accountability of action items from the previous week.  Also, it is possible for other members of the team (not just the leader) to hold their teammates accountable in the same manner.  Especially when the action to be taken affects someone else, or someone else's team. As a professional coach working with fundraising leaders, I do this at the top of each coaching session with clients.

To establish an environment of accountability, it's important to do so without judgment or harsh criticism.  That is to say, the coach or the manager (or team mate) does not "judge" the client, employee, or team mate as "bad", "stupid", "lazy", etc., if he or she misses a deadline, chooses to change course (for good reason), or fails in a task.  Of course, should a pattern of missed deadlines/commitments become apparent, then it is incumbent for a manager to have a conversation around performance, and possible dismissal.  In the case of coaching clients, I may even dismiss the client if he or she is not being serious about honoring his or her commitments.  I have done this on a rare occasion.

How To Run a Weekly Staff Meeting That Doesn't Suck

Recently, I've been coaching with a couple of fundraising leaders around the topic of the dreaded weekly staff meeting.  You know the one: boring, sleepy, and life sucking!  The one where the team leader does all the preparation, runs the meeting, and walks out with all the monkeys on his/her back.  Sound familiar?  

Not anymore!  Want your weekly staff meeting to go from sucky to snappy?  Here's how:

1) Review Action Items and Commitments From Previous Week

-No judgement.  Did you do what you said you would do.  If so, what result?  If not, why not?

-Builds trust, commitment, accountability, and transparency for everyone.

2) Lightening Round (create an agenda on the fly)

-Go around the table.  Everyone declares his/her top three/four priorities for the upcoming week.  (These are the BIG ROCKS, not every little meeting or calendar item)

-Each individual can add agenda items on the white board for group discussion.  Best if an admin serves as scribe on the whiteboard.

-Group prioritizes by first urgent/important, then important, then urgent.  Make sure you get to the meat first and not be at the mercy of the urgent.

3) Potential Ad-Hoc Topics

-Every now and then an agenda item comes up in the weekly staff meeting that is so big it requires a separate ad-hoc meetings.  That ad-hoc meeting could be a 1:1, involve several (but not all) members of the team, may require other folks to be present, etc.

-You do not want to bog down the weekly staff meeting with a topic so large that it requires and entirely separate meeting.

-Admin usually takes the action item to schedule the meeting with the necessary individuals after the staff meeting.  It could take place that very same day, or be scheduled for later in the week.

4) Decisions/Actions

-Admin/Scribe reads out all significant action items/commitments (who does what by when) and any important decisions taken.

-Admin/Scribe circulates Decisions/Actions/Commitments to all staff immediately after the meeting.  This becomes the first order of business for next week's meeting (see #1 above).

5) Cascading Messages

-If there is anyone in the staff meeting that has people reporting to him/her, and there were decisions taken that affect those folks, it is very important that information is passed along to those folks by their manager. 

-Getting clarity around this is important.  "Manager X you're doing to let your team know that....."

-Can be added to Actions above.

Added Bonus: Each week rotate who runs this meeting to each member of the team.  By doing so, you offer opportunity for professional development and strengthen the leadership capacity of your team.

I'm indebted to Russ Sabia at the Table Group (http://www.tablegroup.com/consulting/consultants/russ-sabia) for initially suggesting the basic outline of this structure, as well as Laurie Bellero, Rajiv Hota, Kate Norton, and Spencer Reynolds at Princeton who enthusiastically embraced it.

What Is A Mastermind Alliance Anyway?

Recently, I’ve been discussing the topic of #Mastermind Alliances with several fundraisers who are forming or want to form one.  What exactly is such an Alliance? 

The term “Mastermind Alliance” was introduced into the popular lexicon in 1937 by Napoleon Hill who published the self-development classic, Think and Grow Rich which was the progenitor of the category.  In that book, Hill described a Mastermind Alliance as “the coordination of knowledge and effort, in the spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose”.  This post offers an outline for the formation and operation of a productive Mastermind Alliance.

The first step in establishing such a group is for the leader (or co-leaders) to adopt a purpose, intention, or “stake” for the alliance, choosing individual members whose education, experience and influence are such as to make them invaluable in supporting the purpose.  For example, development leaders in non-profits often establish and facilitate councils to help guide fundraising efforts.  In my own past, I established a group of business executives that met as a roundtable to advance the mission of a business school from which they had graduated.  Whenever doing so, it is essential to consider each candidate for membership in the light of his or her ability, personality, and willingness to help and cooperate with other members of the group in the spirit of harmony.

Once members have been identified and recruited, the next step is to establish a definite date and time for the members of the alliance to meet.  The meeting can be conducted in-person, or via telephone/video call.  Depending on the purpose and context, the group can meet as frequently as necessary.  What I have found works best is a pace of weekly (or every other week) meetings for about an hour.    The environment should be one where everyone has an opportunity to connect, and where each member may speak freely with confidentiality, and without fear of judgment or reprisal from the others.

Once the group is established, it is incumbent upon the leader (or co-leaders) of the alliance to ensure that action is forwarded and learning deepened in support of fulfillment of the group’s purpose.   The leader or co-leaders should come to each meeting with a topic or topics that support the group’s purpose while keeping everyone aligned to the stake or intention.   The major strength of such an alliance consists in the blending and contribution all its members. From that blending comes creativity, inspiration, encouragement, support, and action.

One final note.  There are no hard and fast rules as to the number of individuals recommended for an alliance. The number should be guided by the nature and magnitude of the intended purpose.   In general, it is best to have as few members as possible in order to accomplish the purpose while maintaining an atmosphere harmony and collaboration.  Groups of 4, 6, 8, 12, and up to 24 all work well.  For example, right now, I am in the process of forming a Mastermind Alliance of about a dozen to two dozen leaders from the non-profit and corporate sectors to cross pollinate best practices from those sectors while growing our leadership competency by reading and discussing The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership.  Feel free to contact me if you’d like to learn more.

An Essential Tool For Every Fundraising Manager

About a year ago I shared the many benefits of having an OGSM.  In that post, I recommended that fundraising leaders (and their team members) create an annual Objectives, Goals, Strategies, and Measures plan and review it at least once each quarter.  Despite the practical utility of this practice, I am surprised that it is not more widely used in the non-profit world.

This post is meant to provide some suggestions for fundraising managers to help their teams stay on course throughout the year.  While the OGSM is a guide for the entire year, it is helpful for each individual to pause just before the beginning of each quarter and create a 90 day plan.  Frontline fundraisers can create the content for a 90 plan with just a few components:

1) Closing gifts.  Which open gift discussions with donors do I intend to close in the coming 90 days?

2) Gift proposals.  Based on previous discussions, are there any formal gift proposals that I intend to present to donors in the next quarter? 

3) Donor visits.  Which donor visits are already scheduled, and which donors to I intend to meet in the coming 90 days?

4) Internal meetings.  What important meetings with stakeholders (other than donors) are already scheduled, and which do I want to schedule in the next quarter.

5) Learning and Growth.  Are there any conferences, workshops, webinars, or other professional development opportunities on the horizon for the coming 90 days?

6) Personal Leave.  Do I have any vacation or other leave planned for the next quarter.

For the fundraising leader/manager there may be other categories of activity such as: systems, communications, marketing, budget, etc.  The aim here is NOT to put every activity into the quarterly plan (that's why we have task lists and calendars).  Instead, consider the OGSM and then choose the significant milestones that are to be accomplished within the next 90-days. The quarterly plan should fit onto a single page, and be displayed prominently in the workspace (or reviewed regularly if kept in electronic form).

And now comes the kicker.  It is incumbent upon the leader of the team to convene a quarterly meeting with all of his or her direct reports in order to have each team member "report out" on their progress against plan for the previous quarter.  This quarterly review creates trust, transparency and accountability, and is a best practice for nearly all high functioning and high performing fundraising teams.

If you have not adopted the discipline of a quarterly plan and review, I encourage you to give it a try.

Hiring Great Fundraisers (or anyone else for that matter)

Human resource professionals and hiring managers often ask me if there are certain qualities to look for in prospective new hires that are likely to make them extraordinarily successful in their roles.  While there are no absolutes, over the years I have found that there are a few characteristics that if carefully screened for can yield excellent new-hire results.  Of course, it helps to have a rigorous recruitment process that develops a strong pool of talented candidates.  Resume reviews and initial phone screenings are great tools for determining foundational competence.  After that process, multiple face-to-face interviews of a small pool of candidates by a diverse hiring committee who are prepared to ask penetrating questions about character (not competence) will get at the heart of the matter. 

I recognize that this may be a completely heretical view.  So, go ahead and burn me at the stake.  But before you do, you may want to take a look at the character/personality qualities below which I regularly looked for when making new hires.  While I am indebted to Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) and W. Clement Stone (Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude) for the initial inspiration of this list, in most cases I have put my own spin on these.  I should point out that nearly all of these qualities can be learned or acquired over time with practice.  They are not innate.  If you are recruiting someone to your team, I strongly recommend you consider evaluating candidates along these dimensions in addition to any specialized knowledge that may be required.

Positive mental attitude

This attitude can often be described by such words as optimistic, courageous, generous, tolerant, tactful, kind, and having good common sense.

Going the extra mile

Live by the golden rule, and render more and better service than was expected.

Definiteness of purpose

A dominating idea, plan, or purpose emotionalized by a burning desire for its realization. The ability to set goals and make specific plans to achieve them.

Enthusiasm

Intense enjoyment of one’s work and profession.

Personal Initiative

Plan one’s own work and work one’s plan.  “I do it now” attitude.

Pleasing Personality

A professional appearance and demeanor. Can demonstrate the virtue of humility.

Learning from Defeat

The ability to learn from substantial personal and professional setbacks.

Controlled Attention (also perseverance and persistence)

Can stay focused for long periods of time.  Can stick with a projects for 12, 18, and 24 months while overcoming obstacles.

 

Teamwork

Works well with others.  Can seek advice and help from others to accomplish goals.



Time and Project Management

Manages multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.  Stays organized.  A time and place for everything.

Creative Vision

The ability to use imagination constructively.  Can “paint a picture” in the mind of another with words.

Accurate Thinking

Separates fact from fiction.  Can implement practical ideas or plans to achieve a particular goal.