Sisyphus be damned.

I wrote this 15 years ago. It's as true today as then. And needed even more.


There seems to be ever more job churn underway in development work. I believe that lack of recognition, not lack of salary, is a key cause.

At leadership seminars I've led, the most hands always raise to this question: How many of you have returned to your office with a significant gift to hear 'Fine, now you're only $2,433,000 short of your goal'!

Sisyphus comes to mind.

My recommendation: light one candle.

Schedule a regular monthly session with your Chairman/President/CEO for one purpose only. Bring one (1) sheet of paper and one (1) birthday candle. The paper describes the WHAT, HOW and WHY of your department's favorite victory that month (and it's not always dollars!)

For as long as the candle burns (my 2.5" x .25" test candle went for 18 minutes) you get to reflect and appreciate, together. Sisyphus be damned, celebrate!

Then book next month's visit and buy another candle.

Renewal: Generosity v. Cha-ching

The lead article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy a few weeks back caught my eye. Big time. (“Half of Fundraisers in the Top Job Would Like to Quit”, January 17, 2013)   I cut out the bar graphs on page 19:

  

•  53% of CEOs say the relationship with their chief fundraiser is strong; only 41% of the fundraisers think the relationship with their CEO is strong

• only 41% of CEOs say their organization practices good donor stewardship compared to 32% - one-third - of chief fundraisers

• one-third of CEOs – 34% - say their charity’s employees understand fundraising, but only 18% of chief fundraisers agree

With gaps in perception like these, it’s no wonder half of all top fundraisers are “plan[ning] to leave their jobs within two years” and “40% are thinking of leaving fundraising entirely”.  Doing and saying the same old, same old won’t avert this tsunami of cynicism.

It’s time for renewal. I’ll say it: the core of philanthropy is generosity not fundraising. More attention is needed to the why, less to the how.

All of us must seek out and listen to the memories of gracious acts that bring joyful aches – the aches that generate and sustain generosity ... cut the volume on the weekly fears of nonprofit CFOs who regard donations as line items.

That’s why I wrote generosities-GENROZT , my book exploring ten mostly-unsung people and their acts reflecting 21 different generosities, only one of them money. I welcomed co-authors including 29 elementary school children who reflect on generous people with good hearts in their young lives.

I know that each rekindled GENROZT memory inspires and renews.   

The challenge is this: profound memories are activated only when a trusting heart encounters a discerning listener. Texting and tweeting don’t get there.

The new social media are ears.

Radical.