Lauren remarks raise the question of whether nonprofits should ever be accused of playing games with someone’s career aspirations. Regardless of where we find ourselves in the organization and even on the chance that it’s time for someone to move on, consistent, straightforward and honest conversations are always best.
Read MoreI have now twice enjoyed having Maryann as our guest on the fundraising talent podcast; and, once again, she proved to be someone who is honest, thought-provoking and fun. As I would have expected, Maryann offered several potent thoughts to this conversation, some that relate to the most senior among us and others that relate to the young people now aspiring to assume leadership roles. As the father of four of children, what I found most thought-provoking was Maryann’s answer to the question of whether she would encourage her daughters to even pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. How many senior leaders would want their own children to inherit the sector as-is?
Read MoreAs a facilitator of meaningful conversations between different groups, Kay has discovered that rather than holding our differences against each other, and allowing it to become a place for confusion and misunderstanding, let’s see ourselves as individuals with unique strengths that we can collectively bring to the table. All generations, regardless of their differences, have an innate desire for purpose, and that purpose can become the bridge builder between any two individuals.
Read MoreI was delighted to kick off, with Paul, the first of ten discussions this week about leadership transition in the nonprofit sector. Most of his insights raised the question of whether nonprofits are in denial about inevitable leadership changes on the horizon. Paul believes that a lot of our discussions about readiness for change comes down to ego. For example, how many young leaders are asking themselves whether they are really ready; and, likewise, how many senior leaders are contemplating whether it’s time to get out of the way? Paul reminds us that we will all need to come to terms with our own mortality eventually and that younger generations always assume they’ve got a better handle on the newer, faster ways of doing things.
Read MoreMy conversation with Lansing was the first podcast conversation that we have had with a college student who is considering a career in fundraising after graduation. Lansing’s experiences have already given her some perspective of what a fundraising career might look like. I’m quite confident many organizations could benefit from her interdisciplinary studies at LSU, her experience forming a 501(c)(3), as well as the lessons she’s learned organizing successful special events. Lansing is an example of the rising generation of fundraising professionals who are entering the nonprofit sector much more deliberately, with much greater enthusiasm, and greater clarity about how fundraising really works.
Read MoreMy conversation with Mike raised the important question of just how well fundraising professionals are managing the expectations of their boards and bosses. Regardless of the size and sophistication of the fundraising operation, it’s important that those to whom we are accountable and who have the responsibility of evaluating our performance have clear and realistic expectations of what it is that we can actually accomplish from year to year. While our mother-in-law’s perception of our work may never improve, and the general public’s understanding of fundraising can at times be problematic, it is nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen when our boards and bosses don’t quite grasp how fundraising really works.
Read MoreThe hard reality is that, in order for fundraising to be most responsive in today's rapidly changing world, we must recognize that everyone may not want an invitation to our galas and golf tournaments; and they may not find Giving Tuesday or our year-end appeal as compelling as we once thought. My conversation with Liz affirms my conviction that the lunch table rather than arms-length fundraising tactics remains the most effective cultivation tool and professional development tool that the fundraising profession has.
Read MoreAfter finishing graduate school Sarah confidently uprooted herself from Arkansas and moved to Washington DC in pursuit of an opportunity to the change the world. Sarah’s experiences offer insight into how we can recruit and retain employees and volunteers in the future. Our conversation begged the question of whether the sector is ready for the next generation who will show up with much higher expectations of themselves and the organizations they choose to partner with.
Read MoreI tend to be much more optimistic about our opportunities in the future after conversations like the one I recently had with Megan. Our conversation left me curious whether the rising generation of fundraising professionals will be better prepared for supervisory roles than those we are counting on now. Megan’s enthusiasm and deliberateness may be all that it takes for our sector to remedy some of the challenges we are facing. As much as we’d like to think that the fundraising professional is largely to blame for high turnover, my observations suggest that supervisors factor into what’s happening far more than we tend to think.
Read MoreSometimes I have podcast conversations where I just know the person I’m talking with, this time Katie, has really hit the nail on the head. I most certainly could have talked to her for another hour, and I suspect our listeners would have stuck with us to hear more of what she had to say. I will be sure to have her back very soon to continue this conversation. Katie has evidently thought through what professional development should look like for aspiring fundraising professionals, and I’m anxious to see what sort of feedback we garner from this conversation.
Read MoreMy conversation with Jenny begs the question of whether fundraising could benefit from having fewer experts and more coaches? Unlike those who usually claim to have all the answers and often reminds us of everything that our organizations are missing, Ginny describes the coach as someone who focuses on our assets and encourages us to ask better questions of ourselves. Jenny also gave me the impression that the deliverables for which we pay a coach are very different than those we expect of some who is pitching consulting services.
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