Category Archives: Leadership

Letting it Go is easiest on Vacation (Neo Con edition).

Posted on March 12, 2015 by

My politics are fairly moderate, being an economic centrist and a social progressive. In 2008 I, like many of my fellow Hoosiers in Indiana, voted to reelect Mitch Daniels while also picking Obama, who became the first Democrat to win … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life and Travels | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The time I paid $450 for this Frameable Certificate.

Posted on February 26, 2015 by

I am often asked by younger professionals about the Certified Fund Raising Professional designation, “Do you think it is worth it to get my CFRE?” they ask me. “Only if your employer is paying for it.” Why? For the initial … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundraising, Leadership | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Shut the Front Door: Profanity, Teamwork and Accomplishment

Posted on January 22, 2015 by

I grew up with Marines and then Stagehands. No way around it. I learned to curse as a youngster from the best. In Okinawa our lives centered around military culture. I saw the film “Top Gun” at the height of … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Life and Travels | Tagged , | Leave a comment

10 shalls to Putting the Fun in Fundraising.

Posted on January 8, 2015 by

Fundraisers are an overly serious and no fun bunch, too often. An absence of humor is sadly lacking in our non-profit endeavors, and scarce of late in our civic life. Last year was almost entirely humorless, overly full of moral … Continue reading →

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Should Fundraisers be Board Members?

Posted on December 3, 2014 by

This is for my Fellow Fundraisers. Nobody in the Verse frets over Board Members and their frailties like the Fundraisers I know. No one. Those Things They promised to do, Refused To Do, said They Would Do and Forgot About. … Continue reading →

Posted in Board Development, Fundraising, Leadership | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Call in The Bobs. Six Times to Hire Fundraising Consultants.

Posted on October 1, 2014 by

One of my favorite clients over the past couple of years has an energetic board leader who calls me and Bob Swaney The Bobs, a reference to a masterpiece of cinema, Office Space. If you haven’t seen that film in … Continue reading →

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Real Talk: Three Questions for us Board Members.

Posted on August 6, 2014 by

Swapping hats from consulting for a moment, this post is for my fellow board members. You know who you are. Non-profit leaders work tirelessly to activate us to our potential. Books are written. Seminars are developed. Consultants are engaged. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Board Development, Fundraising, Leadership | Tagged , , | 8 Comments