360 degree reviews: the art is in the implementation
Recently, a robust organization doing serious humanitarian work contacted me to figure out why their 360 degree review process wasn’t working so well. They said management's reviews of their reports were one or two sentences, woefully incomprehensive and incomplete. Since
First Things First–The Weekly Check In
When I’m hired by an organization to coach new employees as part of their onboarding process, I always start with the same question: Do you have a set, weekly meeting with your supervisor? I used to assume this recurring practice
Prospecting: A Productive Expansion Method, or Why “Donor Reviews” Need To End
As far back in my career as I can remember, I’ve sat in meetings with other professionals and/or volunteers, talking about how we might meet the annual campaign goal for that particular year. Lists of contributors to previous campaigns were
Save Cookie Cutters for the Kitchen, or Why One Size Does Not Fit All
Having spent 2+ decades as a professional, now consultant, in the nonprofit space, I am frequently asked for catch-all strategies. Over the last few years, the methods with which to disseminate and receive advice have increased dramatically. There used to
Words Matter–Let’s Change Them
Fundraising. I’ve seen rooms of people cringe at the mere mention. It’s a word with infinite negative associations--residues from years of bad practices. I’d suggest we call the whole thing off if there weren’t so many life-saving, world-changing, mission-driven organizations