Smooth, flat rocks thrown at the right angle with a quick wrist flick will hop across the water’s surface rather than quickly sink to the bottom. It doesn’t take a bodybuilder to accomplish this physics-bending feat; it just takes a patient and practiced handler with good form. Momentum, once harnessed, is no easy thing to […]
Stepping Stones | Turning Plans into Action–Part I
When done right, your development message is clear. A development message is structured to answer the questions donors always have but don’t always ask: Why is this important? What’s the mission? What values drive all this? What’s the history? How did you get here? What is the plan? What are the strategic plan steps? What […]
5 Reasons to Grow
You have a plan for growth for your organization. You have a plan to reach more people this year. Do you have a plan for how you’re going to grow personally? We have to have a different point of view than what is often taught or what is common in society about the value of […]
Find JOY Again When You are Over It
How does one move from overwhelmed to overjoyed? This is a part of the human experience, especially as leaders. How do we move through these challenges that we face with that sense, sometimes even daily, of being overwhelmed? And then, how do we come to a place of joy consistently? I want to identify the […]
Over It? Go Through It.
How does one move from overwhelmed to overjoyed? This is a part of the human experience, especially as leaders. How do we move through these challenges that we face with that sense, sometimes even daily, of being overwhelmed? And then, how do we come to a place of joy consistently? I want to identify the […]
The Countdown Counts
What should you do 60 days (or less) until the end of the giving year? Less than sixty days remain in the calendar year, but who is counting? Less than sixty days are left to mobilize the giving you need this year. What should you focus on? Have you thanked your donors? Have you reported […]
Ripple Effect
Ever watch the joy and imagination of a young child playing pretend? The promise of potential they feel is palpable. No matter the chosen storyline, I’m willing to bet one undeniable truth lies underneath it all: I want to change lives. I would encourage you to get very clear on your vision for a single […]
Work Smarter, Not Harder | Limits of Leadership
Let me give you a framework to think about using your capacity. Imagine your junk drawer at home. The larger the junk drawer, the more junk you will find to put in there. Eventually, you will fill it up and go to junk drawer 2.0. There will always be junk to fill the drawer. Capacity […]
Work Smarter, Not Harder | List More, Overthink Less
Ideally, you’re in the room with your donors at least once every eighteen months to two years. You’re touching base. You’re updating. You’re refreshing their memory of your ministry’s vision. You’re repeatedly moving through the cycle of thanking and reporting. As your organization’s advancement leader, I encourage you to continually work on your lists so […]
Work Smarter, Not Harder | Maximize Your Calendar’s Potential
Picture your calendar. What’s the first thing you see in your mind’s eye? Is it a due date? An upcoming party or birthday celebration? The start of a new semester? Time management research shows that the majority of stress and feelings of overwhelm are due to the next two weeks on a person’s calendar. Knowing […]
Self-Leadership Isn’t Self-Explanatory
Self-leadership is an area of passion and growth that’s hard for me to talk about because I have many regrets about habits and lack of discipline many years ago. I want to be careful, too, because I’m still growing in this as well. The goal is not to be perfect. God is the one doing […]
Asked and Answered | Fundraising Events
Leaders of communities with diverse backgrounds and economic means must manage the perception that some fundraising activities are being geared only toward those small groups that might be more apt to be able to give financially. Cultural implications exist in an organization’s community when you do fundraising events. While not as big of an issue […]
Head On
Imagine a minivan parked on the side of the road. Now imagine shifting the van into neutral. Please give it enough oomph to make it 500 feet to a gas pump right up the road if needed. What if this same van was on a slight incline? Feel confident? You may need a friend to […]
5 Numbers to Know in the New Year
The start of a new year is when people are driven and willing to sit down and look at what’s working and what needs to be reworked. A clean slate is more than just exciting – it’s a prime opportunity to clarify who your organization is and what it stands for, allowing for disciplined planning. […]
Planning With Purpose in the New Year
For some of us, the dawn of a new year represents a clean slate, a fresh start, perhaps another opportunity to get going on all of the resolutions we set aside last year. For those of us in development and leadership, a new calendar year also signifies that it’s time to determine a strategy for […]
Giving | How to Talk the Talk
Leaders in development are aware there are deficits – costs that must be covered and debts that must be paid. This is not, however, what donors are interested in hearing. What’s an organization to do? What Do We Focus On? It’s important not to think or talk in percentages – even internally – about development. […]
Approval or Affirmation?
There’s an old saying: ask for forgiveness rather than permission. If you’ve been in advancement for more than two minutes, you’ve been tempted to take this same approach with your board of directors more than once! How can people who don’t see the ins and outs of how you and your team are killing themselves, […]
Relationships That Reach
My dad always said, “Your salvation will not drop from a distant sky.” Practically speaking, there’s no way to identify and discover large donors from out of nowhere. The work is called development – it’s a journey, a discipline of connecting the dots and being an excellent steward of the relationships that God has already […]
Facing the New Year
As we embark on our next year together, it’s important to point out the value of the face-to-face meeting. In our world, there are countless ways to communicate without actually connecting. At DLC, we’re focused on building and growing relationships. Guess what? So are your donors! Efficient communication has its time and place. Effective communication […]
Mission or Movement?
What came first? The mission statement or the movement? Like the age-old chicken or the egg, there isn’t a definitive starting point that always hits the mark. If you’re in development, you may find organizations and ministries for which you could ask – and never answer – this very question. Sometimes, organizations hit the ground […]