Think about the members of your team. Picture them in your office or workspace. What do you see? Who’s listening to music? Who can’t work unless their space is tidied? Does anyone have a variety of colors and textures in their area? What about seating selections? Does everyone use a classic chair or do some […]
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 […]
Unplugged or Unglued?
Many are still reeling and suffering from the past two years due to a once-in-a-generation health crisis among other challenges . All are still facing the daily working definition of returning to ‘normal’ and what that looks like in ministries. Reality is a significant challenge that we continue to lead through, and it will continue […]
Motivate Your Team to Get Moving
One of the best ways to re-engage energy from a team is to go through a process of planning. It doesn’t have to be a very complicated process, and the plan itself doesn’t even have to be that ingenious, but the process itself has tremendous value, maybe even more value than a written plan. Re-engage […]
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 […]
What’s the Plan?
Resting in peace, not dead. Between jobs, not unemployed. Thrifty, not cheap. Unique, not odd. Golden years, not old age. Euphemisms are proof of just how much the English language loves to spin. It’s time for a spin in development. It’s time to present the possibility of Planned Giving. Organizations faced with the stress of […]
Shaken, Not Stirred
“For behold, I am commanding, and I will shake the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is shaken in a sieve, but not a kernel will fall to the ground.” These words from Amos 9:9 are resonating with me and I feel called to share them with you during the latter part of […]
Shaped by Sway
As humans, we cling to what is tangible when defining our success. In the world of advancement, it’s tempting to measure success by funds raised and the number of zeros before the decimal point. But, to get to the top, we look at the bottom line. Development is the work of raising money. We must […]
Playing the Long Game
Think back to when you were a senior in high school. Try to place yourself back into the mentality of the world being your oyster. The future was wide open, and yours for the taking! Or was it? Did your parents help guide you through it? Perhaps you found an out-of-state school with all the […]
Virtual Vision
Have you ever purchased a lawnmower and then decided you’d rather use it as a shower curtain? Probably not. Form follows function – in more ways than one. You’ve heard us advocate for hiring better rather than hiring often. What does that mean when you hire an individual for an office position and they’re now […]
Ordinary for the Extraordinary
Missionary and evangelist Jim Elliot once wrote, “Forgive me for being so ordinary while claiming to know so extraordinary a God.” Elliot had a heart for unreached people and a passion for sharing the Gospel. For more than three years, Elliot worked with four other missionaries to orchestrate Operation Auca. The Huaorani people were an […]
The Core 4
How can you know where you’re going when you don’t know where you are? The same holds true in reverse! Paying attention to the CORE FOUR will keep you on track!
Reminders for Relating
Little nudges make for big impacts in the minds of your donors. In the unknown, make sure current and past givers know where your ministry stands…and how to stand by you!
5 Wrongs Don’t Make a Right
Do you learn more from success or failure? I am a firm believer in the power of using what went wrong to make something go right. Here are 5 mistakes to avoid.
Covered NOT Cancelled
Ecclesiastes 7:21 states in part, “Do not take to heart all the things people say…” Ignoring what others say about something or someone you care about has always been easier said than done, but never more so than in these past few months. Divisions from cultural movements have swept the news cycle, filled our social […]
Clear Skies Ahead | Flying Above Overwhelm
I’ve always been mystified with flight. The fact that those who came before us were so bold as to see the birds of the sky and think, “Hey, we can do that!” is astounding in its own right. Add to it that two young, adventurous, North Carolina boys made that dream a reality blows my […]
Idea of Stress
Anxiety takes many forms, but it all comes back to wanting MY will over THY will. Learning to differentiate between GOOD & BAD stress can make all the difference.