It's All About Love
While standing in the gallery, it occurred to me that every Head of School and Development Director would do well to have a copy of this neon piece on the office wall. When I visit a city, I plan to visit an art museum. At least one piece in the collection will inspire me or expand my realm. British artist Tracey Emin's 2011 work in neon, Love is What You Want, at the University of Michigan Museum of Art drew me in.
Each person that donates to your school does so in the name of love. They love how they felt when a teacher enlightened them, heard them, and saw them for the person they were meant to be. They love a child who grew into the successful adult they are now because of their experience at your school. They love a person who works or volunteers for you, or they feel loved through their gift or involvement. We all want love, and successful development teams know how to communicate and show love to their faculty, staff, parents, students, volunteers, grant makers—all donors, every year, without fail.
People stop engaging with your school because they don't feel the love. That's the bottom line. It may be hard to figure out why and when a donor stopped loving your school. So, invite them in for a conversation. Listen carefully. When faced with criticism, we tend to marginalize the speaker, convincing ourselves that it is just one person's opinion. There is no need to change anything, you may think. There is no need to examine our practices, you may reason. We don't have time, you may conclude.
In my work with school leaders, I am often called to work with a development director or team to prepare for a campaign that is on the horizon. When I arrive, I find a team working very hard to maintain a schedule of events that rarely shows donors love, and worse, the events don't raise much money. And, while they have been working at a breakneck pace, the list of leadership and major donors who lovingly gave money in the not-so-distant past to create the endowment or build the last building is languishing in the outer reaches of the database.
This month, retrieve the data, do your research, and learn all you can about your school's former friends. Send a metaphorical olive branch in whatever form makes sense. See if you can rekindle the spark, since love is what we all want.
The author, Jill Goodman, is a consultant working with independent school leaders to advance their school’s mission, enhance their processes, and bolster their skills. Learn more about all services here.
Image credit: Jill Goodman
