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Invest in JOY®
Some things never change. And that is good.
An inbox overflowing with trends, tactics and what to watch out for now is overwhelming…and a bit scary.
Focus on what you know to be true.
(For me – a fun truth is that a few days by the ocean is so rejuvenating.)
After 4 decades of successfully inspiring major and mega giving as a front- line fundraiser, team manager, and coach/consultant I promise you there are some unchanging truths that bring personal and major giving success.
The external environment will impact your givers, colleagues, and family, but they will overcome those influences for the key relationships and things they value in their lives.
When costs go up, turbulence abounds, or challenges emerge, we find a way to still be with family, attend places of worship, and support causes that are meaningful to us. Key to the decisions we make are a few lasting truths.
Truths you can count on in fundraising and life!
TRUTH #1 Fostering genuine relationships is number one. ALWAYS. Transactions well executed can be part of overall relationships, but manipulation is always felt – even if not realized.
TRUTH #2 Trust STILL must be earned, and it is highly valued. Be trustworthy. This is your most important asset.
TRUTH #3 BIG visions unite and inspire. That doesn’t necessarily mean high-cost, or broad sweeping. It means clear, and targeted on how you accomplish your purpose better and better. Big donors want big, bold visions but remember that can be fixing a former barrier to service, adapting to new ways to do what you do based on new knowledge as well as expanding your reach to serve more.
TRUTH #4 Your words reflect your beliefs. Your words are containers of power. How you talk about your givers and colleagues reflects how you FEEL about your givers and colleagues. This is really quite easy to implement. Always speak as if the person you are talking about is sitting beside you. Will you really say TO a donor, “We’re trying to get you to open your wallet!”
TRUTH #5 Use data Artfully. Tracking data helps us KNOW our donors and they want us to know them – what they gave last, what is important to them, how they want their relationship to be handled. But even with annual fund – help your data-driven colleagues see how these people are more than a number or statistic. And we, as major gift fundraisers, need to be open to data that informs us how to more effectively and efficiently connect with, and serve, our donors.
TRUTH #6 Recognition does not equal appreciation. For all time – how others value what we do and share that with us is key to our feeling appreciated and every person in our lives is different. And there are some ways that feel key for many. Care needs to be taken to not get caught up in the latest TREND for sharing appreciation – ask your giver, your spouse, your kids – what is meaningful to you!
A quick story – when the founder of one of my client’s organizations retired, the search yielded a horrific replacement, the board failed to act and most of the staff left – including the long-time fundraiser. Giving plummeted. A full 18 months later, the Board found new leadership, took charge, hired a new CEO, and recruited the former fundraiser back late in the year. Just hearing she was back – and on the strength of her relationships, giving poured in during December even without a year-end letter or emails or time for many visits!
For as much as we all want to hop on the latest trends – and I am a forever learner – evaluate each from forever truths. The sunrise and sunset. When you are true to you – when you sincerely value and respect others, when you push down the negative and snarky talk and focus on the gift you want to be in the world –LIFE IS GOOD!
Invest in JOY®
2024 is here! Let’s ROCK IT!
A new beginning – A new opportunity.
I’m bringing in the New Year keynoting for over 900 folks at the Wisconsin Fairs Association Centennial Convention – Celebrating the Past, Cultivating the Future. While they are all county fairs with many common traditions, their management, funding, budget, governance, and size are all very different – so at very different places with their fundraising. It’s been a total delight to be part of an experience that includes a carnival, talent showcases with great bands and comedians, and Fairest of the Fair Competition. These 35 contestants are both trained and compete in speaking, fundraising, marketing, and interviewing as part of a 3-day competition. I spent some time with them sharing confidence-building mindset tools, and of course, a 3-sentence ask!
Reflect – Assess – Adapt – Plan
For all of us, each new year gives us a fresh start – a chance to set aside time to “celebrate our past and cultivate our future!”
Consider doing this….
1 – Reflect – where are you right now. CREATE “BOOKS” You can feel blessed and grateful and discouraged all at the same time. Write down key experiences – go through a calendar or your picture library – good and challenging. Picture all of these experiences in the past year or more as a book on a shelf. All your failures and successes – Your year is on the shelf.
2 – Assess – what do you want to take with you into 2024? Consider that now you find out a fire is coming that will burn the bookshelf! You have only a small suitcase you can pack with books!
3 – Adapt – what do you want to leave behind? Pluck from what you learned. If you know what went wrong – don’t do it again. What stories or thoughts held you back in 2023? “I’m afraid we won’t reach that goal.” “I don’t think I have time to do that.”
What if you could watch a film of the person you COULD HAVE BEEN if you hadn’t let the fear hold you back…the year without the excuse and stories.
“I’m too young.” “I’m too old.” “People tell me I can’t do it.” We don’t have the resources.” I have too much on my plate.” “It’s a rough economy.” “There’s too much competition for dollars.” My boss… My spouse… My kids….
Turn these around.
Because I am young (or old) I have an advantage over everyone else! More energy, more wisdom.
What do you want to take into the new year – let the rest burn.
4 – Plan – It’s January 2025. You look back and realize that 2024 was the BEST year you have ever had! What is different? What happened?
WRITE OUT 3-5 RESULTS OF 2024 (yes 2024)
Yours can have more specifics. The point is to say them often as if they have already happened. This becomes your compelling future. Consider why having these accomplished is so important to you – attach emotion to this. You will need this compelling future because stuff is going to happen. You will be disappointed. Craft this story and focus on it every day.
The biggest sales job you need to do is on YOU! Most people know what they DON’T want or like and they talk about it every day! YIKES! Change that conversation in 2024! Prove all the naysayers WRONG!
And…remember, I believe in you, I appreciate the work you do, and I am here to remind you of the special gift you are to the world!
Happy New Year!
Invest in JOY®
In the rush to meet this month’s ambitious goals, the little things are often glossed over and not respected as the powerful relationship-building tools they are.
Let’s take leaving a message when you make a call for example. Now I am NOT talking about the new voice chat. No. This is the good ole fashioned thing you leave when someone doesn’t pick up!
I’ll bet you are making a good many calls now – and perhaps even orchestrating a board or volunteer thankathon or gift-reminder call project. Often these calls will go to a giver’s voice mail.
Are you and your callers ready for what happens after the beep?
Here’s what you need to remember to leave an Artful Message!
TEN TIPS for an Artful Voice Message
1. Define the purpose of the call.
If this is “just” a thank you – it should be JUST a thank you….not an ask, next steps or anything else. If it is a reminder to consider a year-end gift – say that. Be clear and stay in your lane.
2. Script what you are going to say, practice it, then relax with it.
No one wants to listen to you read a script. You also don’t want to ramble on. (though honestly I’d take that over reading a script!) Be SO familiar with the words that you can be conversational in your delivery.
3. Remember your tone is key!
Your tone conveys meaning – caring, sarcasm, irritation, concern, and, yes, integrity. You want the listener to feel like you are enjoying this call, not checking them off a long list of calls to make. When you authentically care about your message it comes through in your tone. Ah…but same when you don’t really care.
4. This message is for a real person.
You may or may not personally know all the people you call. That’s ok. Either way you are leaving a message for a real person. Pause before a call to say the name. If you do know them, picture them in your mind. Smile and feel gratitude to be able to reach out to them.
5. Be a real person.
You may have 20 of these to make, but each one is an opportunity for you to be genuine. Don’t get concerned about needing to be “professional.” Of course you don’t want to be flip or rude – but you also don’t want to be stiff and formal. Consider how you care about the mission you are representing – the values you must share with the person you are calling – the chance you have to show you care and deepen a relationship.
6. Pick a pace that is comfortable to listen to. Not too fast – not too slow.
You may be saying this for the 10th time – it’s the first time they are hearing it. Not too fast – rather a comfortable speaking pace.
7. Calling you back.
If you are a volunteer, it depends on your comfort getting a call back. For staff, more likely you will want to give people a way to reach back out to you.
8. Make the message long enough to get the message across.
30 seconds to a minute is usually enough depending on the call purpose.
9. Some examples. (I’m using my client, the Michigan Animal Rescue League as an example. You are very smart and can adapt!)
Thank you
“Hello, Gladys. Happy Holidays! This is Bill Smith and I’m delighted to serve on the Michigan Animal Rescue League Board. Your support means so much as we care for the animals we rescue. Thank you! (pause) Thank you for partnering with us. I am sincerely grateful. Gladys, no need to call me back, but if you do have any thoughts for me you can reach me at 608-772-xxxx. That’s (more slowly) 608-772-xxxx. Again, my thanks to you for being our friend and supporter. Best wishes for a bright and happy Holiday!”
Consider a year-end gift
“Hello, Gladys. It’s almost New Year’s eve! For many of our Michigan Animal Rescue League friends, it’s time to make your gift to support our caring work. This is Bill Smith, a member of the board. It’s important to me that you have everything you need to accomplish the gift you wish to make yet this year. You can call me back at 608-772-6777. That’s 608-772-6777. Or you can go to our website at www.marl.org and get connected there. Whatever you decide, know that we appreciate you and your partnership with us. Thank you and have a happy, happy holiday!”
Shorter
“Hello Gladys! It’s Bill Smith, a board member from the Michigan Animal Rescue League. I just want to say thank you for your generosity… and your caring. May your holidays be merry and filled with good times with your favorite four-legged friend!”
Shorter
“Hello Gladys! Our animal rescues thrive because of your generosity. Thank you for considering a gift to the Michigan Animal Rescue League yet this year. Probably easiest to go to www.marl.org to make a gift. This is Bill Smith, a MARL board member. Know that whatever you decide, we appreciate having you part of our family and wish you happy holidays!”
Shorter
“Gladys – Bill Smith here from the Board of the Michigan Animal Rescue League. You make life so much better for our animals and the people they love. Thank you and happy holidays!”
10. Common mistakes to avoid and how to fix them.
Easy way to fix it all??
Our calling to serve non-profit missions thrives because of your generosity, caring and talent. Please always remember how deeply I value OUR relationship and the belief we share in artful and respectful fundraising. May you feel my love. Thank you! Joy to you! Happy Holidays to you!
Invest in JOY®
I am thankful for YOU in my life!
Tomorrow we gather to be thankful!
Just the thought of it makes me smile. A whole day when we intentionally give thanks!
Here’s Thanksgiving in 3 Steps…..
1. Focus your thinking on being thankful.
Your inner world creates your outer world. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Walking through the day focusing on giving thanks will shift your focus to all the things you have to be thankful for. That will lift you up. It’s that simple. But not always easy to do!
2. Take inventory on how you are doing on your life vision.
A life vision is not a goal. It’s a vision. It doesn’t have data or a deadline. It’s that mark you want to leave on the world. It’s that line in your obituary that sums up who you were. My vision is to inspire myself and others to be their best selves. I am thankful that rarely a day passes when I don’t hear from someone that I am doing just that …with my coaching, my words in passing, a smile or my music. What’s your life vision?
3. Remember that all disappointing circumstances are temporary.
Stock prices falling, chocolate prices rising, coming up short when you are comparing yourself to others, decisions that you’d like back to make again, illness, or being disappointed by others are all just experiences to help you refine how to best live your vision. They are temporary. You learn from them. They are a needed ingredient on the life-long path where you are creating your life!
Now here’s the best part. EVERY DAY can be Thanksgiving! Focus on what you are grateful for – it beats down fear. Remind yourself you have a purpose – it will guide you. Manage challenges as temporary. Smile. Take a step. Enjoy your remarkable life.
You have a calling. You do remarkable work. You give. You inspire giving. You propagate joy. An honor and delight to walk along beside you! Thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Invest in JOY®
FIRST…breathe! Now, remember that people love to give you money!
Development professionals will say, “I don’t even have to ask! People just throw money at me.” Relationships built upon trust, deep listening and good stewardship of a giver’s investment can easily grow a wonderful, warm conversation. If fact, I am not a big fan of written proposals that simulate sales models and treat a donor like a transaction. Embracing generosity and abundance, instead of caving in to lack and fear, is the hallmark of a successful major gift relationship.
Remember – 90+ percent of your fundraising success is because of your MINDSET!
I’m half-way through the 2-day MORE Major Gifts Virtual Deep Dive with a terrific group of 40 fundraising professionals. Their testimonials to the powerful role their thinking and self-talk have played in their success was tremendous!
Here’s what I want you to be telling yourself – right now!
1. “People LOVE to Give Me MONEY!”
I wrote this jingle in 1997 and still today folks sing it to remind themselves that…..
People Love to Give Me Money, to make a difference.
People Love to Give Me Money; I’m the link to their investment.
You can have Marcy sing this with you and your group here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=kdwCM15AxYM
2. “Our cause is WORTHY of people’s investment and generosity!”
You know it, but you sometimes get scared that you have to convince them – sell it. No, you really are giving them the chance to do something that gives them joy – or let’s them spread joy to others! Great stuff!
3. “I want to be sure we have enough time to accomplish the gift you want to make yet this year.”
YES – assume your donors want to give again – they do! And know they ARE busy and you are helping them get something accomplished that is important to them!
4. “I will show up for my donors!”
Little does more to foster success than just physically putting yourself in a position to receive. Get with your donors – be places where they go – manifest these amazing chance meetings in addition to the ones you carefully plan.
GET OUT THERE AND SHOW UP FOR YOUR DONORS!
Let me hear you!
“I create my Life!”
“I am liked and welcomed by my donors!”
“I get to be the difference!”
“I get to inspire generosity!”
Focus on what is good, right and well in your world. Embrace the heart of what we do. Get curious about what is most meaningful to your givers.
Oh and….”People LOVE to Give me MONEY!”
Invest in JOY®
FIRST…breathe! Now, let’s talk about your board and year-end!
Just back from AFP LEAD. For the 500 in attendance, it was clear that leading today has some new dimensions! A shout out to my client and co-presenter, Terrance Hunter, the CEO of CFCArts in Orlando. Together we shared tips on shifting to more Effective (vs Efficient) actions for increased major giving and leadership success. AND, we took a minute to join Kathryn from AFP Global Marketing to record a few videos sharing our presentation coming up at AFP ICON April 7-9. 2024 in Toronto. Here’s more info: https://afpicon.com/
Today, let’s talk about being most effective (and still efficient) this year end working with your Board.
Your most EFFECTIVE Board Year-End Strategies – Giving and Being a Board Ambassador
There are many reasons why Board giving is important for your non-profit. People take their cue from your leadership for their own giving and participation. So, what are your steps to finish off the year with that 100% Board giving in place?
1. Review all board giving to date – who has given, what amounts and how does this feel to you in regard to their capacity.
2. Make your best guess for each board member (amount and project) right now. OR, if you aren’t clear on where their passion lies, that conversation needs to happen first.
3. Combine individual board member’s major gifts already in place or designated for a specific use.
4. Consider a project that is key to your success that the board would be especially key to fund — Perhaps a new staffing position needs a jump-start, a contractor staff position to a specific task (database research or updating), launching a new program, or bolstering the unrestricted “Excellence Fund” to provide sustainability for the year.
5. Establish a board giving goal. This goal should include gifts individually made and the group project goal. It’s not important that all board members give to the group goal – rather that all board members give. Be sure your Board Chair is clear on this.
6. Meet individually with your board chair to walk through the board year end giving plan. Have a conversation as well as to secure THEIR personal gift. If they already have a major gift pledge in place is this meeting their giving goals? Would they consider an additional gift as part of a board giving goal?
7. Do you have board members who are sincerely not able to give much? Perhaps another board member will give in their honor. (This works well with younger members who are giving a lot of volunteer time – but not able to be large financial givers.)
8. Have the Board Chair share the plan at the next Board meeting.
9. Let them share that you (ED and DOD) and the Board Chair will be setting up time to visit with each of them individually to discuss their participation.
10. HAVE FUN making the visits! AND, have a task for each board member that suits their skills and interests at the ready for these visits as well.
Sometimes it is better to go slow to go fast!
NOW, repeat after me…. “I love my life and all the lives in it!!”
Eat candy, give candy, be scary and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Invest in JOY®
Pickleball! Are you addicted? My client, colleague and friend, Lisa Hurda is FULL In – like over the top passionate about Pickleball. Lisa is the Director of Advancement and Foundation for Blackhawk Technical College. She convinced me Pickleball mirrors many of the skills you need for success in major gift fundraising work. We tested this theory at the CASE Conference for Community Colleges last week in Palm Springs (where she also got in a Pickleball game or two). It was fun and I believe we shared some valuable major giving nuggets within a lively orientation to pickleball! You can see some of the feedback we received below.
Both the Conference formal sessions and conversations in the hallways embraced a familiar topic – maximizing teamwork to get the best synergies for success. Sounds like a noble goal, right? Sadly I heard the words like “toxic,” “dysfunctional, and “siloed” with folks frustrated with others who didn’t do their jobs well enough, fast enough, like THEY would or with the same dedication and focus (passion).
The President doesn’t get development. The development shop is demanding and hard to work with. Athletics goes off on its own. People operate in silos. There are too many events (or too few). The marketing team doesn’t meet deadline or use our ideas. Managing these relationships often includes well-meaning actions to force the desired result – some thinly veiled as being “helpful,” “supportive” and just “sharing best practices.”
Being a productive Squeaky Wheel.
As the saying goes, “the squeaky wheel gets oiled.’ Meaning that the squeaking will drive you nuts so you fix it! Or oil it. Here’s how it can be more productive for all involved.
Challenge: You believe you can do it better so you “share ideas”
Especially considering that many of us wear or have worn multiple hats, we probably know how to do a bit of everything. Event management, marketing, annual fund, donor relations, planning, major gifts, and so on. Some of us may even fancy our selves better or gifted or have a natural strength in…a certain area.
Solution: Stay in your lane.
Challenge. You love doing something other than your main work.
You seek out trainings in your interest or comfort area and go to sessions at conferences that are about what YOU like to do – not what you should be focusing on to better do YOUR job. Then, you share what you learn back with the person who so does want to hear from you feeling like the helpful colleague. You are not.
Solution: Focus on your OWN improvement – believe me, you can do YOUR job better.
Here’s my point – maybe all your squeaking gets you some oil – but at what price? A reputation of needing everything YOUR way? A label that you are difficult to work with? Hurting others feelings with your thinly veiled criticism?
Enter David Suson – Keynote speaker Day 2. His message was to boost your personal power. He shared we all had a moment in our lives we felt gave us a truth about ourselves – a strength. We are smart, right, nice, reliable, etc. When others make us feel like this strength is being challenged, we react – and not well.
He described tips to build personal power including:
1. Value others – this is feeling THEM walking in THEIR shoes (not you walking in their shoes)
2. Being Decisive – no one wants to follow a wishy-washy leader.
3. Getting Fearless – you gain confidence when you lose fear.
He created six phrases to repeat out loud twice daily forever. (And you know I am ALL about this sort of mindset work!)
I Am Confident
I am Decisive
I am Fearless
Be THEM in THEIR shoes
Look for the Good
There’s always a way
He put these on a band I will wear, and use, speaking these lessons night and morning as he suggests. This feels old and new to me and I’d encourage you all to check it out. Again that’s David Suson, https://davidsuson.com/ Those of you who coach with me know I am always sharing resources I feel will help you. I have my band, I’ll be getting more bands and David’s work will creep into mine.
So stop being a squeaky wheel seeking oil and instead start working on your personal power becoming a true friend and support to those in your life. Good stuff.
Invest in JOY®
Yikes and Yippee! Say it with me, “October! November! December!”
WOW! It was SUCH A THRILL and honor to receive the Spirit of a Leader award from Crescendo Interactive, Inc in Orlando, September 20th!
Charles Schultz, Crescendo President, has remarkable clarity, ethics, and faith. This empowers Charles to surround himself with the best team, create the best products to serve us for Planned Giving success, and live a life of generosity and service. He also said years ago, “I believed something good was going to happen in my future.” Does that sound familiar?
Something Goooooooooods Gonna Happen to Me!
The award was even better because several of my current and former clients were also attending the Practical Planned Giving Conference. Speaking at their events and consulting with them has clearly benefited us both as we navigate the relationships key to our professional and personal success! Thank you! I am deeply grateful for the award – and to all of you who join me in our honorable and noble profession.
AND it inspired me to write a new song! SHINE ON! You can hear me sing it here. First time – a few hiccups. Know you’ll hear it again soon at my upcoming conference presentations! (always better in person!)
Now let’s get to it. October. November. December.
As of today, September 27, you have 95 days left in 2023. Determine now what will make you delighted on January 1, 2024.
1. Clarity is key.
What do you want to accomplish yet this year – professionally and personally? I know you – it’s a LONG list – and you MUST narrow it down to your top 3-5.
2. Control is vital.
What do you, and you alone, have control over in accomplishing your top 3-5? To be clear, you can control your conversations and actions with potential givers. You can’t MAKE them give – that is their choice. You can have every detail arranged so that the whole family will be home for Thanksgiving and well, enough said, right? You can set deadlines for YOU. You can set deadlines for others but you can’t control their response. Focus on what YOU can control.
3. Clearly define the “Must Do’s.”
Most days, there are pieces of our lives we Must Do. Care for our children, show up for key meetings, etc. Though even these can be redefined. ‘Clean the house’ – could become ‘hire a service’. You could ask about taking a passing on certain meetings for the next 3 months. I consider writing this blog a Must Do, but I could have a guest post. Consider the Must Do’s as you plan these next 3 months. Yet, make sure “must” is MUST.
4. Create certainty on why this is important to YOU.
A work-assigned goal, someone else’s deadline, family expectations for holiday gifts/visits, may not be one of YOUR most important year-end accomplishments. What is important to you? What will make you smile, satisfied and joyful on January 1, 2024?
Remember there are two key elements to your success – especially in these last 95 days. Your actions AND your relationships! The actions we take coupled with the strength of our relationships determine the results we achieve.
Actions + Relationships = Results
Knowing the right people is important. But HOW you know them, how you relate to them is even MORE important! As you move though these last 95 days ask yourself:
Do I judge this person? Do I make assumptions about this person? Do I expect things from this person? Do I let this person affect how I act? Are you constantly complaining about having too much to do? Needing more staff? That others don’t respect you?
Research has shown that people who have many strong relationships have happy, successful lives. As you plan out your next 95 days be as committed to the quality of your relationships – with your donors, your family, your colleagues – as you are to your results. Don’t sacrifice relationships to get what you want.
Take time now to reflect on the top 3-5 accomplishments you want to achieve by year-end. Perhaps it’s to execute your annual fund year-end appeals smoothly, have a special day with each one of your kids, take in holiday lights, get your holiday cards and gifts to others with grace, and meet with your list of 15-20 key major givers to present an opportunity for them to make a meaningful key gift.
I say in my song…Stop the victim! Stop the blame! Your choice to SHINE TODAY!
Finish this sentence, “If I could accomplish these 3-5 things with grace and genuine respect for my relationships with others, I would be smiling from ear-to-ear January 1, 2024 and thinking, ‘Job well done.’
Invest in JOY®
You missed the deadline. Maybe didn’t sleep much worrying about it. Or perhaps you slept just fine and rolled your eyes about the colleague who is an over-the-top jerk about her self-created deadlines. Perhaps you know full well that you can get your part done, and done well, without being weeks ahead. It’s downright frustrating that others need to create a crisis around completing a few simple tasks.
Deadlines are always part of life. For it to be a REAL deadline, something has to happen. Historically a deadline was the line drawn around a prison beyond which prisoners were liable to be shot – that’s pretty real. No stress in that, right? So for most of us a deadline is something definite – the wedding, the grant submission date, December 31st, your presentation day, the vacation, the show.
Then there is the timeline! A timeline is actually when you do the work. Ideally a timeline takes away the stress of a deadline. Timelines have flex. Deadlines don’t… unless they are self or management imposed deadlines and this can bring the stress right back.
You see, timelines reduce the stress of deadlines ONLY if created based on the ability of your weakest link – in skill or mindset!
Truths about timelines and deadlines – Creating good timelines and deadlines depends upon several factors:
1. Our beliefs and mindset. What it will take to execute the timeline (and meet a deadline) will impact the steps, space, and check-in’s we believe are needed. They reflect our own perception of the task and its difficulty or ease.
2. Our experience, individually or as a group. If this is a task/process we have done forever, we have people we’ve worked with for years, etc, our timeline is more flexible. Covid shook this up for a lot of us. This impacts timeline, not the real deadline.
3. Our personal self-confidence in our ability to do our part of the work.For example, if we are a long time speaker we need different prep time than the beginning speaker who wants ample time to rehearse.
4. Our overall self-confidence/self esteem. If we are confident and have high self-esteem, this is reflected in our approach to all our work. Likewise, if we struggle with feeling like we are not enough, do not get the respect we feel we should, or have perfectionist qualities it can manifest significantly in timeline work.
5. Our belief in our colleagues doing the task with us. This is about your staff colleagues as well as outside vendor colleagues. If a printer is always late, you build in time to deal with this (or seek another source). If you don’t have faith in your colleagues – you feel they don’t have the same level of dedication or experience you do, you feel they have let you down in the past, or you feelyou can count on them.
6. Our fear of unknowns. What if? Sure, being prepared for unexpected delays, illness, or competing projects has a place. But be sure to also manifest a clear road, AND that you can easily be bigger than any problem that comes along.
Generosity blossoms in the last quarter of the year. Generally 1/3 of US individual giving (around $105,600,000,000 of the total $320,000,000,000 in 2022) happens in December – 12% in the last three days of the year. As we enter our year-end planning and our key work with major donors remember these keys to success.
Key Do’s and Don’ts for successful timelines and deadlines (and year-end planning)!
1. Remember the difference between timelines and deadlines. Don’t create deadlines in timelines – that puts all the stress back into them! Check-in’s that foster open space for participants to be at different places along the timeline build trust and actually make people more inclined to stay on the timeline.
2. Inspire and create excitement for the results of working a timeline. All participants (this may not be the lead, but great if it is!) can support success by bringing positive energy to the work. Good managers and leaders know that getting angry, critical or reminding people, “I even put this deadline in your calendar” doesn’t foster strong working relationships.
3. Balance passion and collegiality. YOU are passionate about how this process, event, and/or year-end fundraising happens! You are dedicated, you care, and you want to do excellent work. Urg! How can others be so incompetent? Why don’t they follow-through? Don’t they see that your ideas are better? Don’t they care? How do they still have their job?!!!
How our events, mailings, whatever looks and runs IS important. People will react/judge typos, long registration lines, and weeds. But it is MORE IMPORTANT to foster positive caring relationships and not make it about you and your performance demons.
I often say we have a calling – not a job. Yet, when our passion invades the tone and wording in emails, finds us complaining to leadership, getting angry, demanding action, and worse – gossiping about colleagues – we do nothing to inspire generosity, success and abundance. They just earn you a title – and generally not a good one. If you are constantly complaining about how much work you do, that you aren’t appreciated or supported, etc know that this really reflects YOUR victim mentality – poor me, and you can change that!
Drop the victim. Drop the blame. Decide to shine today. Your timelines, and also your whole life, will be a happier process and your deadlines will produce the results you are after! Ta da tad a……CHARGE!
Invest in JOY®
(608) 772-6777
Marcy Heim Consulting | The Artful Asker
2679 Fahey Glen
Madison, WI 53711
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