Earlier this year Angee reached out to me to see if the Toronto stop of our seminar would be timely professional development opportunity for her. After the exchange of some messages, I managed to convince her to register; and I was delighted to hear that she very much appreciated her experience. In this podcast conversation, Angee shares that the three lanes framework afforded her a resource for aligning her board with a shared understanding of how fundraising really works. Also, as is always my hope, the concepts have become her own; and she has found ways to interpret them through the lens of her own experiences as a runner.

I have really enjoyed getting to know Kelly and the team at OneCause this fall and I am looking forward to partnering with them in the new year. Their recent Social Fundraisers study hit my radar, and I asked Kelly to give our listeners an update on what they uncovered about peer-to-peer fundraising.

This is the very last episode of our special Thanksgiving series on leadership transition in the nonprofit sector; and I was more than eager to reconvene my conversation with Liz who, some might recall, was among those who helped us launch the podcast 18 months ago. Liz kicked off our conversation with the notion that leadership is much less about any particular position we might be holding at the time and far more about the posture we maintain throughout the process. This insight resonates with several guests who have similarly suggested that while aspiring to leadership is admirable, always leading is a preferable way to learn and grow.

It’s not often that I have the pleasure of following up a podcast recording with an on-site tour; however, my recent business in Indianapolis afforded me just such an opportunity. Janice is the retiring ED at The Indiana Milkbank, and she was more than happy to share her transition experience as part of our Thanksgiving series about leadership transition in the nonprofit sector.

I always enjoy a conversation with someone who is thoughtful, has a great sense of humor, and is quick to share what they have learned from their past mistakes. My recent conversation with Noah was a continuation of our Thanksgiving series about leadership transition, and his insights did not disappoint.

I was especially grateful for Rachel’s willingness to share her experience as someone who has been overlooked for a leadership position that she felt she was prepared for. While she admits that she was anxious, looking for a new challenge, and certainly aware of the fact that she had things to learn, she feels it was the outgoing CEO’s desire for control and unwillingness to let go that interfered with her opportunity.

My conversation with Paige raises the question of how aware we are of the backdrop that informs those we work with. Whether we are talking about generational differences, gender roles, or a host of other distinctions that make each of us unique, it is important in today’s marketplace that we pay close attention. It was evident that Paige has payed close attention to those who have gone before her, observed how they managed to do their job well, and made note of the strengths that she wants to to be admired for when the time comes for her to “graduate” to another phase in life.

Much of my conversation with Jonathan was reminiscent of my own experiences with a founder who struggled to let go and, as a result, made it especially difficult for me and others to mature in our respective leadership roles. Jon and I have both experienced first-hand what’s it like to assume leadership from someone who is very resistant to letting go. Just as I recall from our first conversation, Jonathan once again shared very thoughtful insights into how an organization can best prepare itself for leadership change. I shared my appreciation for the process that was required of our local parish and how we readied ourselves for a new rector.

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.

I 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?

As 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.

I 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.

My 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.

My 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.