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Anticipation is at its peak, the play is about to happen, and the whistle blows. The referee’s voice echoes across the stadium: False start.

Five-yard penalty. The opportunity to move the ball is hampered. This might even lead to a turnover. 

False starts are common in many sports. In football, they are the top cause of penalties. And guess what? False starts happen in nonprofits too.

Organizational false starts might not be in adrenaline-pumping moments. But they can cost your nonprofit significant time, lost motivation, and wasted staff and volunteer energy. 

Fundraising: The Music and The Notes

I’ve been trying to teach myself how to play guitar on and off for the past three years. I don’t read music. I didn’t grow up in a musical family. I don’t sing (except for off-key but energetic Bob Seger karaoke riffs on rare occasions). But something happens when I practice the guitar.

The analytical side of my brain is frantically trying to remember how to position the fingers of my left hand to make a ‘G’ chord. Developing the muscle memory for the seemingly infinite combination of six strings and however many different fret combinations is daunting. To me, this part of the practice feels like work. It’s memorization and repetition for both mind and muscle.

On rare occasions, though, I can hear what sounds a little like actual music. It gives me a rush and makes me want to play more. I might even find myself nodding my head, moving my shoulders into the picking, or smiling. This is when the practice feels more like art.

Often, I’m asked to provide proven fundraising principles to a group of board members or a nonprofit staff team. Even though I try to weave in stories with the fundraising best practices, I suspect that many people are in their heads, trying to figure out how to hit the notes. This might be like me having a visit with my guitar instructor. It’s helpful, but I really don’t improve until I practice.

Leading With Fresh Eyes

Whether your organization’s development office is a one-man show, mid-sized, or a mega shop one thing is for certain: leadership is everything!  As you look at your 2023 goals, evaluate the way you’ve been leading with fresh eyes to assess where you might need to strengthen or encourage your team.

A typical executive search usually takes a few months from start to finish with key steps throughout the process. As the committee does its work, it’s important to communicate the status of the process to key stakeholders and applicants. It may seem simple, but many organizations skip these basic steps. And when you don’t share your progress, both candidates and your board can be left feeling that the process is cold and disorganized.

A long-time executive coach once told me that the most powerful questions are ones that can be understood by a kindergartner.