Connection Happens on Purpose: Building Belonging into Our Lives
The way we use our time together communicates what we value. “Every time we bring people together, we have an opportunity to help them feel known, valued, and part of something that matters.” Think about the last meeting you attended. You probably remember whether you finished the agenda. But did you leave feeling more connected […]
The Nature of Leadership
I define this integration of love and leadership as: ‘perceptions of the joining of the separated used to guide right action for group survival.’ What is the nature of leadership? I ask this question as an of exploration on the essence of leadership, as a matter of identifying what we are assessing in leadership development […]
Radical Support: Reimagining the Board-Executive Relationship
When boards operate from trust, partnership, clarity, and a commitment to radical support, executives are far more likely to thrive. And so are the organizations they lead. The Cross-Sector Epiphany A few years ago, while serving as mayor of Grand Junction, Colorado, I had an epiphany. Like most Colorado municipalities, our city operates under a […]
Nonprofit Strategy: A Smoker And A Grill
Grill strategy can fill today’s plate, while smoker strategy builds tomorrow’s table. Many nonprofits are forced to live in a world of urgency. There are people who need help today, grants with deadlines tomorrow, and programs that can’t wait until next quarter. It’s no surprise that a lot of nonprofit strategy ends up looking like […]
Culture of Philanthropy: 6 Steps to Demonstrate the Impact of Philanthropy
When an organization accepts, understands, and embraces a culture of philanthropy…the whole institution benefits from increased donor investment. A few weeks ago, I wrote about challenges facing development departments when an organization does not embrace their work or overall fundraising. This is when a majority people in the organization are not in involved in any […]
Mentorship – A Reciprocal Opportunity
Watching my son, Christopher, receive his undergraduate degree earlier this month transported me back to my own entry into the workforce over four decades ago. No, I didn’t start working at the age of five, but living in an agricultural state meant that it was a viable option for me. Like most children my age, […]
Building a Culture of Philanthropy: Unmasking the Fundraising Process
As a development leader, one of your roles is to help your colleagues understand that your work is not magic or some ability-only fundraiser process. If there is a disconnect in your organization between development and other departments, it’s probably because they don’t know what your work involves.
Culture of Philanthropy: 5 Steps in Demonstrating Donor Engagement
I recently wrote about five steps in building a culture of philanthropy and breaking down silos and creating bridges for your colleagues to cross into the realm of philanthropy and embrace fundraising best practices. Here are the five as a refresher.