While it would be wonderful to move a thousand or more people along, the reality is we’re capable of shepherding 200 people at one time. It’s time to focus.
New Rhythm, New Flow
New normal. Out with the old. In with the new. Catch phrases may grab attention, but they don’t keep it. Here’s our take on shifting the paradigm in development.
The Grieving Leader
Grief is defined as “deep sorrow.” Grieving is a process, one that can be especially difficult to navigate as a leader. We have some pointers for difficult seasons.
Gifting the Giver
Do you reciprocate when you receive? Donors appreciate the “thank you” but remember when they are seen. Learn 5 meaningful ways to gift the giver when you thank!
The Leadership Struggle
Whether you use the cliche term or not, burnout is a thing, and as a leader, it comes for you. Here are ways to deal with it.
Smooth Sailing Requires a Charted Course
Momentum has to start somewhere! Encourage your board to be the catalyst to bring about change and growth in your organization and its impact with these 2 challenges.
Development Dominos
When it comes to year-end appeals, the important thing is focusing on those who have not yet given this year.
Development Committees | Setting the Standard
In development, we get out what we’re willing to put in. How are you utilizing your board members and committees? There’s untapped potential – let’s tap into it in 3 ways today!
Wartime Priorities
You are the general of your ministry organization. It’s time to enter the war room and not reemerge until you draw up war plans. What does this mean? Two steps, endless possibilities!
Noteworthy Meetings | Tools of the Trade
When you ask a question, there is power in the answer. Are you listening? Are you harnessing it? One notebook has the potential to guide you to do just that!
Bored with your Board?
I often hear complaints from development and advancement directors and teams working with faith-based nonprofit organizations, schools, and missions. “Our board doesn’t get involved.” “Our board doesn’t contribute.” You’re bored… with your board. At times, this can be completely confounding. The Christian mindset is to build one another up, to defend the widows and the […]
To Delegate is to Disciple | Leading Well Through Mentorships
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.” As leaders, we carry the amazing responsibility of raising others up to stand on level ground, and even to push them above and beyond. In so many areas of our faith, we are encouraged to think […]
Growing Pains
May I be blunt? I don’t really have any interest in you learning for the sake of learning, though I’m the first to admit I have a teacher’s heart. I’m more interested in what you and your team are going to do with the skills, tactics, and tools we discuss. Keeping this in mind, let’s […]
Discipline Can Be Deceiving
From the outside, as I hiked with several leaders after a long and productive day, it likely looked like I was a diligent, structured, disciplined person. I say this because several people commented on just that. However, that was merely a reaction to evidence available at the moment. I love discipline. I admire it. I […]
Evolving as a Leader | Doing More With Teams
As leaders, it’s imperative we deal with both success and stress in healthy ways so as to not discourage future generations of leaders. One of the most common questions clients and colleagues ask is, “How can I do more with a team?” I’d like to suggest today it’s not what the team can do, but […]
Building the 200
As we grow increasingly intentional in 2020, I want everyone to call to mind those on your list of people you’re shepherding. Ideally, you call to mind your master list of the 100 to 200 people you’ve focused on relationally this year. As development directors, the most we can interact with yet still create and […]
Going Virtual in a Viral World
We are living day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, or so it seems, when it comes to event planning in our current pandemic circumstances. It’s springtime and for many leaders this season is synonymous with the big event. The large gathering. The fundraising mothership. But, we can’t. So what can we do? […]
Redefining Success | Navigating COVID-19
Many of you have reached out with the same basic, but ever so complicated, question: What do we do now? Although many things remain to be sorted out, we have three important steps for you and your organizations to take today for a stronger tomorrow. Update Timelines At this point we have no way of […]
The Process of Bearing Fruit
These are challenging times. It’s important, and I believe helpful, to call to mind those who came before us and have stood where we stand. While we’ve no proof that any of the disciples were ordered to shelter in place due to a virus, we DO have proof that they faced many trials of all […]
Development is Threefold…Not Billfold
What We Can Learn From Jesus + Einstein “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” This quote from Albert Einstein resonated with me earlier this week, and has encouraged the advice I share with you today. Whether through parables or five alphanumeric symbols, e = mc2, great men know it […]