Posted at 18:27h
in
Blog,
Fundraising
by Jenny
One of my most frustrating moments as a consultant came when I was working with programming staff, trying to collect some stories – stories that I needed in order to fundraise. I was working with excellent programming people: they were good at their jobs and dedicated to the mission of the organization.
Wow – was it ever challenging to get stories “from the field!”
To understand people’s actions, you need to understand their perspectives.
- Programming staff: rewarded for executing programming, project focused, well connected with their volunteers and their community, action-oriented (at least the good ones!)
- Development staff: rewarded for getting personal, spending time with donors, telling compelling stories, and raising money by connecting emotionally with individuals.
One of my most frustrating moments as a consultant came when I was working with programming staff, trying to collect some stories – stories that I needed in order to fundraise. I was working with excellent programming people: they were good at their jobs and dedicated to the mission of the organization. Wow – was it ever challenging to get stories “from the field!”
To understand people’s actions, you need to understand their perspectives.