Truth - It's Not That Difficult

I was thinking about two movement campaigns tonight: Truth and It Gets Better. These two campaigns take a message that has not been heard or hasn't wanted to be heard or is hard to hear or whatever it is that keeps people from positive action vs. negative action, and yet they do it in very different ways.

The Truth campaign goes for shock value. The message tries to make you react to something and react at that moment. It isn't about creating a feel good moment that you will remember and hold on to. It is about rocking your current train of thought and derailing it in order to move you.

The It Gets Better campaign is powerful because it plays on human emotion. It is raw. It is real. It is truth. This type of movement campaign doesn't try to shock you (not always) into movement, but tries to humanize a tough issue that many people refuse to see as a human issue.

Both of them tell the truth. Both campaigns are not afraid to tell the truth and do not beat around the bush. The American Legacy Foundation and Dan Savage were not afraid to talk about the tough topics in a way that was both direct and effective. So why is that so hard for others? Organizations? People? Leaders? Everyone wants to hear the truth. Sure, sometimes you have to deliver it according to target audience, but regardless, you will be respected so much more if you speak truthfully, honestly and with integrity.

I have interacted with many people and organizations who/that refuse, for whatever reason - mainly fear - to be honest. Your donors, supporters, volunteers, friends, lovers, children, families and even strangers know (for the most part) when you are being honest and transparent and when you are talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Want to be successful? Want to be respected? Want to lead a movement? Want to be trusted? If you don't want to be involved, say so. If you don't want to raise money, say so. If you are feeling under valued, say so. If you don't feel as though you have the information you need, say so. Be honest. Be truthful. Have integrity and work with those around you to do the same.

Calling All Professional Change Makers

I was working with a group not too long ago that has a strong commitment to creating change in their community and beyond. Great! I like change makers. As a matter of fact, if I could change my title to Professional Change Maker, I would. But is it enough to WANT to create change?

The answer is simply, no, it is not enough. I also want to be a trust fund baby, but that isn't going to happen either. It is not good enough to wish for funding to come through your door or to wish that your board members would do everything you want them to do; we have to make those things happen. Ok, so perhaps that is a bit obvious, but it is amazing to me how many people truly believe that simply having a desire for something creates the end result after which is so desperately sought.

The question then becomes, HOW do we create change? How do we take a passion, idea, commitment and bring it to fruition? The easiest way I can say it is to have guts and follow through. It is difficult to create change. It takes perseverance, willingness, overcoming fear, dedication, open mindedness, leadership and money. It takes all of those things, but more than anything, it takes a shared vision and a commitment to take that vision and put it into action.

So step back for a minute, all of you change makers, and answer this question, "If you had unlimited funding and support and an open road, what would you like to see happen - big picture?" Then take it a step further and determine what impact that would create either in your community, region, nation, or globally.

If you know where you want to go and why it is so important to get there, you have just won half the battle (insert G.I. Joe theme song here). Hold a visioning session with your board and your staff. Gain their buy in and build their passion around a mutual goal, a long term vision. Then make the plan to get there. Acknowledge that it will not be easy. Accept that it is scary to make changes and to become something great.

And, if at the end of the day, you, your board and your supporters don't wish to become something great, I hope you will re-evaluate your organization's impact, mission and position in this world. There is too much work to be done to be walking around in the muck and the weeds everyday with no intention of change.

Listen, learn, build, engage, thank, listen

The art of fund development is simple: listen, learn, build, engage, thank and listen again. If you can do these things with ernest sincerity and interest, you are well on your way to success in this field. Sounds easy enough. Yet, when you combine these steps with the everyday of returning emails, filing reports, entering contact reports into the database, attending meetings, comparing benchmarks, returning calls and setting appointments, they tend to get lost. Not good people, not good.

So how can we get back to good on this? How can we take the expectations of our Board, supervisors, whomever it may be and get back to relationships, to fund development, to the reason we got into this field in the first place? My response: make it happen. How can you not?

In a time when donors are giving to fewer organizations, becoming more critical of the impact you may or may not be making, more inclined to dig deeper into who you are, what you are doing and their role in making it all happen, we have to be better. Stop blaming the economy for a lack of funding from private sources. Stop the blame game, period. Sure, sit on the floor for a minute and have a tantrum if it makes you feel better, but then get up and realize that we just have to be better. It is no longer acceptable for donors to be an object; they must become people, family, important. Why haven't they always been? I don't know, but in many cases, we do, indeed, need to get it back to good. (I couldn't help it, I had to put this song in... no real relevance other than the fact that I just quite like it.)

So how? If you can, sit down with the CEO of the organization and find out what role philanthropy plays in your organization. If you are expected to be a major capital philanthropic arm, then there needs to be a mutual understanding of what that is going to take: giving by the board, CEO speaking the mission and vision in the community, philanthropy as PART of the strategic plan, not an afterthought, a focus on RELATIONSHIPS not ROI, the list goes on.

If the CEO, board, etc are not willing to do those things, then go back to the drawing board. But IF they are and IF philanthropy is important, then your donors are important. If your donors are important, who they are, where they have been, why they are engaged, what role they want/can play for your organization are ALL important. The minute development officers are encouraged to establish relationships, build and grow them carefully and with passion, that ROI is going to increase. If the only message your development staff/you are hearing is - raise more money, NOW, make more calls, NOW, burn and churn, I can promise you, sustainability and growth in philanthropic revenue are NOT in your future.

It's time we change our own culture of philanthropy in the fund development world. We have been so worried about changing the culture within our organization that we've forgotten to look inward. I'm ready to change that.

It's working for them, why not for me?

I have several friends who work at Blackbaud (BB) and I adore each of them. Seriously, some of the very best people work for this company. No, this is not a pitch for BB, although, I'm ok with anyone having that take away, but it is a pitch for people who ask the questions and then go and find the answers. I know it is their "job", but they are REALLY good at it and because they dig and ask and find, they deliver.

BB recently delivered on the 2010 Online Giving Report. GO READ IT! A few points in the report tell us that online giving increased 34.5% in the last year and produced over $10M in revenue for a 56% growth rate year over year. AND it shows that it isn't just for small gifts anymore. The report showed that 88% of organizations in this report had at least one gift of $1,000 or more online. WOW. To me, if someone is giving $1K or more online, it probably isn't as much of a stop and think gift as it would be to most of us.... meaning, HELLO - potential major donor!

Am I happy this report came out? YES! It helps many organizations make the case that online giving is important. However, it isn't something that you can just say, "Gee, online giving keeps increasing and so many organizations are raising serious dollars online, so let's go make our online giving site really nifty and just WAIT for the dollars to roll in." I hate to say it, but unless you can predict some major natural disaster in an impoverished country, that isn't going to work.

I have worked with many organizations who see these reports and say, why aren't we raising more money online? We have had an online site for YEARS and yet we only got two gifts last year for a total of $32.93. My response? Well, what have you been DOING to drive them online? WHY should they give to you? WHO are you targeting? WHAT is your message?HOW OFTEN are you reaching out to your current and potential donors?

"Oh, you mean we actually need email addresses? We don't have those and I just can't possibly think of how to go and get them." Yeah, ok, let's go sit down over here and talk more about this...

Regardless of if it is online giving or face to face or direct mail, what is your story? Who are you telling? Who is telling your story for you? What is your impact? How are you perceived by your donor base and those around them? How big is your network? How willing are you to change? Because, if you are not willing to change, grow, be loud, tell your story, inspire others, encourage hope, steward and appreciate, it won't matter how great others are doing online.

So get inspired people! It is so much more fun and productive to be inspired. If you aren't inspired, why not? If you are, why? Get inspired and then go inspire others. I promise this is a MUCH better solution than just waiting around for someone to press that large flashing DONATE NOW button on your online giving page.

Stand

It has been a while since my last post... obviously. Not that I needed to mention that for anyone to figure it out, but still, a long while. I could go into this laboriously long story as to WHY I haven't written, but let's just suffice it to say that life changes, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot and lately, it has been a lot. Most of the time, I can handle changes with style and grace (at least on the outside), but I don't know that I had much grace left at the end of the day, and so I just went into hibernation. But the weather is glorious and so the sunshine beckons me out again and again and again.

So what is the point of this ramble? Sometimes it is ok to stop what you are doing, examine everything and then figure out the best plan moving forward to reach the spot where, ultimately, you would like to wake up, everyday. This is true for individuals, groups, teams, and organizations.

If something isn't working and you just keep faltering, stop - take a breath or fifty - and get your feet underneath you before you try to run up that hill. Otherwise, you are just going to roll down time and again, and for those of you who have extreme motion sickness like me, rolling down a hill is about the most miserable experience out there.

If you're having a hard time raising funds, stop and think about why that is, and PLEASE, for the LOVE, stop blaming the economy. Yes, the economy isn't the greatest, yes, people are giving to fewer organizations, but the are STILL GIVING! If they aren't giving to you, then my recommendation is that you take a look inside and figure out why that is. Are you in your lead donors' or potential donors' top three priorities? If so why? If not, why not? Have you asked them?

If you can't "get your board to do anything," have you taken a look inside to figure out why that is? Did you set clear and understood expectations? Did they set expectations of you? Did they ever see a job description and agree to those expectations BEFORE they came on the board or did one of your board members on the nominating committee just pick up the phone and call a buddy?

If you are personally struggling in your job, have you asked yourself why? Is it the right job for you? Do you have a mentor you can count on? Are YOU being an effective mentor? Have you read The Leadership Challenge? Do you act like you've read it?

I'm anything but perfect. I have my flaws and freely admit them. Some I can change and some I just have to accept and acknowledge and embrace. No organization is ever going to be perfect - no matter how much so they appear. Those, however, who look inside for improvement are the ones who have a much better chance of shorter hibernation periods and higher success rates.

Here is a song (Rascal Flatts) that, to me, we should all take a read through from time to time:

"Stand"

You feel like a candle in a hurricane

Just like a picture with a broken frame

Alone and helpless

Like you've lost your fight

But you'll be alright, you'll be alright

[Chorus:]

Cause when push comes to shove

You taste what you're made of

You might bend, till you break

Cause its all you can take

On your knees you look up

Decide you've had enough

You get mad you get strong

Wipe your hands shake it off

Then you Stand, Then you stand

Life's like a novel

With the end ripped out

The edge of a canyon

With only one way down

Take what you're given before its gone

Start holding on, keep holding on

Cause when push comes to shove

You taste what you're made of

You might bend till you break

Cause it's all you can take

On your knees you look up

Decide you've had enough

You get mad, you get strong

Wipe your hands, shake it off

Then you stand, then you stand

Everytime you get up

And get back in the race

One more small piece of you

Starts to fall into place

Oh

[Repeat Chorus] 

The Bottom Line

While I was up at school this summer, my cohortmates introduced the idea of us starting our own consulting firm. Needless to say, we would be amazing because THEY are amazing, but that isn't what this blog is about today. Apparently, my role in the firm would be to come in after everyone else and bottom line it. Huh, I guess it shows through that I don't have much patience for the fluff and would MUCH rather get right down to what is going to make you effective and what is going to derail you. I do realize that not everyone appreciates this behavior, but at some point, I do think it is critical to lay it on the line and make a decision.

If you want to be better, then be better. Make the decision and stick with it, but do NOT say that you want to raise more money or be more engaging and transparent but not make the commitment to do what needs to be done to make it happen.

Before you decide on anything, figure out where you want to go and who you want to be. THEN decide what it will take to get there. THEN before you decide to move forward with anything, make the commitment, understand the process and hold on for the ride. If you decide you do NOT want to do what it will take to make it happen, then go back to where you want to go and who you want to be, because you will never get there just because you say it.

Year Two...done and done, well, almost

The two weeks of my summer residency are over. I am in the shuttle on the way to the Minneapolis airport and listening to my cohort mates chatter behind me. We have sworn off any philanthrotalk for the moment, but we don't last long. We love what we do. Don't let any of them fool you, they love being a facilitator of philanthropy and they are so good at doing it! I am thankful to have them working to make this world better everyday.

Here are a few nuggets I picked up this year.

1) Boards: How many times have you established clear lines between management and governance with your board? We, as development professionals, become so aggravated when our boards begin to get involved in management issues and yet, instead of setting clear and understood expectations, we "go along with it." Why? Well, it may have something to do with the fact that the CEO reports to the board... ah yes, a delightful and perhaps necessary conflict of interest. The CEO has to report to someone, but how can we effectively guide and manage a body who has the ability to reward us or release us? Of course, personality conflicts shouldn't be the cause of a "thank and release," however, as we are humans... it happens. So imagine if you will setting up the guidelines from the beginning. What if you were to start off your first board retreat with this type of intro: "I need you to forget everything you have learned about being on a board. Throw away your assumptions and past models. We have transformational change to lead here and in order to do it we need to be transformational." And THEN you work to create an environment where EVERY board member has a voice, there is no forceful leader, there is collaboration, heated discussions and instead of report review, we ask meaningful, governing questions. What if.... why not?

2) Development Plans: These beasts are not for the faint of heart, but essential none the less. Basic? Perhaps, but we so often brush past the basic and run for the bottom line. How are you supposed to blow beyond the bottom line if you have no idea where you have been, where you want to go and how you are going to get there? My next question is, how can you get anywhere without buy in from your staff, CEO, board, community, donors, etc? You may be able to based on pure call volume and general people skills combined with passionate people, but one day, that isn't going to be enough. What then? Don't forget the plan people! Plans, while not perfect, help you move beyond the rut you will undoubtably encounter.

3) Cross-cultural Philanthropy: This one is simple: we are not all the same, we have different traditions, beliefs, cultures, etc. Understand the general and then get specific and individual. Regardless of culture, we are all individuals, however, we do have certain behaviors based on environment. Talk to people, understand them, know their story and then know if or how it matches up with yours.

4) Marketing: Know your audience. Common theme, eh? (that is for my Canadian friends). Know the tools; use the ones you can strategically. Test things to see if your message resonates and is clear. Don't talk to us all in the same way. This is the same thing you hear over and over and over again, and yet... we don't do it well enough. Let's all make the effort to understand it is about the cause, not the organization. It is about the needs of the community, not of you, me or Bobby Sue.

Thank you Cohort 19 for another amazing year. Next up, papers, online classes and then our Capstone. Oh for cute (said in a MN accent).