In June, I outlined a few concrete tasks to tackle during the summer months to set yourself up for success at year end. I also find that these quieter times are ideal for getting to know your organization better. The benefits are wide ranging—by being intentional and delving deep into a few key areas, you can increase both your holistic knowledge of your organization’s mission and the behind-the-scenes technical details crucial to its smooth functioning. As a bonus, you’ll build closer relationships with your colleagues and gain a deeper appreciation of their work.
What does this look like in practice? Activities will vary based on your organization’s size and scope. I have a few key suggestions for learning about the full picture of your mission and the nuts and bolts of what makes your company run. If these tips are not directly applicable in your environment, I hope that they inspire your own ideas for greater connection.
Program Staff and Holistic Knowledge
Program staff are essential to fundraising. Fundraisers rely on them to provide data and content for written materials, and they are the true subject matter experts. But do we really take the time to get to know them and their work? Like all relationships, we don’t want this one to be transactional. Spending some time getting to know your program staff and their work more deeply will signal not only genuine appreciation for partnership, but will also enrich your own perspectives.
Where can you start? Here are some of my top activities:
- Sit in on a regular program meeting: Ask your program staff if you can attend a meeting as an observer. In my experience, this is one of the best ways to gain knowledge of what the work looks like on the ground.
- Attend a public, non-fundraising event and/or seek out a subject matter expert: This is most relevant at larger places such as universities and academic think tanks, but find an area that you’re unfamiliar with and dive in. Are there key research areas to explore? A new initiative to get excited about? These activities will build your knowledge and provide valuable nuggets for donor conversations.
- Can you volunteer? If your organization does direct service work and engages volunteers, join a shift. This has numerous benefits—you’ll be inspired by volunteers’ commitment, you will get to know them better (and there are probably donors in the mix!), and it allows you to see the mission from a unique standpoint.
Technical Teams and Behind-the-Scenes Work
If you’re in a larger organization, you are likely supported by technical staff that make your day-to-day job smoother. Teams like advancement services and gift processing are crucial to the functioning of any development shop.
However, I have found that many front-line fundraisers and managers lack a true understanding of how this work is done. This is understandable—these teams exist so that fundraisers can focus on fundraising—but gaining deeper knowledge pays dividends. For example, in consulting with my clients during this period of high employee turnover, several have found issues in backend processes that new hires often spend considerable time trying to fix. With a greater awareness of how this technical work is done, you can troubleshoot any issues and onboard new hires more effectively.
Is there an essential technical or behind-the-scenes person that you rely on, but much of their job is a mystery to you? Reach out to them this summer to see if you can spend some time with them learning more about their important role. Start from a place of genuine appreciation, letting them know how crucial their work is to yours, and express a desire to learn more so that you can understand the demands on their time and avoid making unreasonable requests.
Do you have an activity that has helped build bridges across your organization? Please reach out and share!