Blog

It’s harvest time in many parts of the country. Farmers and backyard gardeners are reaping the fruits of their labor.

It’s now been five months since Prince passed away at his home in the Twin Cities. The local, national and international response to his passing has transitioned from expressions of loss and grief to controversies and court ruling about the disposition of his estate.

As we travel the country doing feasibility studies, one thing we encounter almost every time, is a donor who cannot be interviewed because they are upset with the organization for not appropriately recognizing their contribution during the last capital campaign.

I awoke on May 10th and could not hear anything from my right ear. I thought it was just a head cold, so I waited a day. In actuality, I had a rare affliction called “sudden complete deafness” – a viral infection that attacks the auditory nerve.

If you know me, you know this is my favorite time of the year: FOOTBALL SEASON! Football is a game with four quarters. The fourth quarter can be a critical time in not only the game being played, but also sets the tone for future games yet to be played.

Part of our work and counsel with our clients is to conduct feasibility studies. We have the opportunity to visit with 25-30 top community leaders and philanthropists, asking them about the image of the non-profit, the proposed plans and who might help raise money and/or be donors of the vision.

In this series, the DBD Team is taking a deeper look at some of the axioms we use when working with clients. In today’s blog, Lora explores our idea of “The Blue Flame Case.” To read other axiom blogs,  click here. 

In our work with nonprofits and churches, we focus on four key areas: leadership, case, prospects and a plan. When those four areas are well-executed, a campaign is much more likely to succeed.

When you speak to folks who have been successful in their work, you will hear a theme. Surprisingly, it is not the brilliance of their strategic plan (although they are certain to have one). And while they may mention the talent and passion of their team, it is not that either. (Again, a key component and closely connected to success.) What you will hear them brag about is: execution, execution, execution. So how do organizations execute on their plans consistently, year after year?

In this series, the DBD Team is taking a deeper look at some of the axioms we use when working with clients. In today’s blog, Jon Simons explores our axiom “Always tell the kind truth.” To read other axiom blogs, click here. 

Today it is easier than ever to “give feedback.” Social media gives us an unfiltered voice and an ever-growing audience. Anyone with a smart phone and Wi-Fi can position themselves as an “expert” on just about any topic they choose. The comments section on websites ranges from mindless to mildly entertaining to cruel, abusive and irresponsible.

“Animation is like telling a joke and waiting three years to see if anyone laughs.” – Ed Catmull, Pixar Studios

I heard Ed Catmull share this in an interview about the making of Toy Story. His point was that working on the film required a great vision, patience, and the confidence to know that what they were working on was right without the immediate feedback.