10 Characteristics of an Effective Leader

In the spirit of "full disclosure" the following list of characteristics of an effective leader are not mine. Somewhere along the way in all the information and notes that I squirrel away I kept this list because I thought it has merit and I have tried, sometimes successfully, to put into practice. I am not sure but I think the principles, if not the list, originated with Dr. Thomas Gordon a well known pioneer in leadership training. The work he began continues through an organization he founded in 1962, Gordon Training International. If these are not his thoughts, I apologize to the Gordon organization. However, I do believe they are good enough to have come from him.


Here are the 10 Characteristics of an Effective Leader:

1. Facilitator--Coach, Teacher, Mentor, Cheerleader. Facilitates as opposed to giving orders and controlling people.


2. Confronter--deals with problems right away.


3. Win/Win--solves most conflicts or disagreements where everyone wins, no one loses.


4. Meetings--conducts, at least once a month, an effective team meeting.


5. Task Clarity--make sure your people know what to do. Most people deviate because they don't know what to do.


6. Positive--encourage and affirm more than you criticize and put down.


7. Status--eliminate as many status barriers as possible between you and your people.


8. Integrity--establish an environment of honesty and fair play by personal example.


9. Listening--Listen more than you talk.


10. Fun--make coming to work in the morning an enjoyable time.

There they are. If you choose to adopt these characteristics in your own journey as a leader, I wish you all the best!

As Dr. Gordan asserts, "Being made a leader doesn't necessarily make you one."

Planned Giving

A few weeks ago I visited in the foundation/development office of a large organization that has been very successful each year in meeting very impressive fund raising goals. During my visit with one of the foundation's vice presidents, I asked about their planned giving program. He answered that they really did not have one. His comment was, "It's all about the money. Leadership is only concerned about the cash that comes in the door that can be spent now."

The organization in order to meet the requirements of its mission and meet the needs of those it serves does need generous current funding and that does mean cash "now." However, they are missing a vital element of a well rounded fund raising program. It may be hard to measure but I suspect that if a solid planned giving program had been in place over the last five to seven years that their annual "cash" income could be an additional 20 to 30 percent more.

Planned giving, which used to be referred to as deferred giving, generally has to do with bequests, charitable trust and other charitable gift agreements where the charity does not receive the "gift" until after the death of the donor or some other "triggering event." It is a great way for your loyal donors to make provision for continued support after they are no longer with us.

Any not-for-profit organization can have a planned giving program no matter the size. Even if you have a limited staff and development budget there are ways to encourage and ultimately receive mission sustaining planned gifts. In future postings I will mention a few things you can do. In the meantime, find a colleague somewhere that has a successful program and ask for tips. Better yet, contract with a consultant to review your development program and have him/her set up a planned giving program that specifically meets your organization's needs.

I guarantee that before the current recession is history the foundation office where I visited will be wishing they had invested in a planned giving program a few years back. Maturing planned gifts sure can help in tough economic times.

Philanthropy & Tough Times

Everywhere you turn there is news of the economic crisis facing the United States. Additionally the stock market last week had the biggest losing streak in its history. What does this mean for philanthropy? Will we be able to raise the needed philanthropic support for our charitable organizations?

It may surprise you to know that giving in this country has only declined once in the last 68 years. In 1987, the year of the October financial panic, giving did decline but only by 1%. Every other year, even those years with some type of financial crisis, giving has gone up. Of course there is no way to know what this latest economic upheaval will mean as the total giving in the U.S.A. is tallied for 2008.

Whatever the final accounting, this is not the time for charitable organizations to reduce their emphasis on philanthropy and fund raising. When things get tough financially, it may seem prudent to sacrifice your fundraising program and use the funds "saved" to focus only on mission and services. However you will be better served to take this opportunity to evaluate your development program for the purpose of making the program more effective rather than arbitrarily cutting back.

In the process, concentrate your efforts on individual donors at least for the immediate and foreseeable future. As you know, charitable foundations base the size and number of grants they make each year on the total net value of their invested assets. With the decline of the markets, foundations will have less in the coffers for grant making. Businesses and corporations are also feeling the financial pressures and may be less inclined to be as generous with their support.

Individual donors are the backbone of any successful development program and this remains true in bad times as well as good. You must not forget or ignore them, even if they are currently unable to give at the level either they or you would like. You may be sure that if you do not continue to cultivate your organization's donor relationships, some smart, energetic fundraising professional from another charitable organization will. Just keep on doing what you know needs to be done. It will pay off, if not today then tomorrow. And tomorrow your need for philanthropic support will be even greater!

A mentor of mine once told me something that has proven to be true no matter the circumstances. He said, "There is no bad time or no good time to raise money. You just have to work hard and get it done."

Good luck!

Love of Mankind

The word "philanthropy" comes from the Greek word "philanthropia" which is translated "love of mankind." The best definition of the word that I have found is from http://www.thefreedictinary.com/ which states that philanthropy "is a deliberate affection for mankind, shown in contributions of money, property, or work for the benefit of others."

A few weeks ago the Galveston/Houston/Southeast Texas area had an unwanted visitor by the name of Hurricane Ike. As he passed through the area late one Friday night and early Saturday morning, he left millions of inhabitants without power and some without homes and businesses. It was my first experience with a hurricane up close and personal. My wife and I were fortunate that we were on the "clean" side of the storm and for the most part only suffered about a day and a half without power and no real property damage or loss. Thousands were not as fortunate. Some are still without power 20 days after the event. Many who had evacuated as the storm approached returned to find that the storm surge had completely washed their homes away or had deposited a horrendous serving of muck and mire as the surged washed through their houses destroying their belongings. Today what the surge did not carry away or destroy the mold is consuming. Many continue to be in desperate circumstances.

Even so they are the fortunate. They are alive. Some lost their lives. In fact the search for the missing continues to this hour. For those and their families who desperately wait for news, we grieve.

In the midst of all of the destruction and misery appears examples of the "love of humankind." Even as the last remnant of Ike left the area, contributions of cash, goods, services, labor, etc. were flowing into the area. The Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, businesses, corporations and hundreds of faith-based organizations began funneling all manner of aid and assistance into the area. Yes, the governmental agencies were here and continue to be here but if the rebuilding effort is to be successful "philanthropy" will ultimately be an essential ingredient that makes it so.

Just a couple of days after the storm the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund (http://www.fhcf.org/) was established with an initial gift of $1 million from the Houston Astros organization. And that is just one example. Hundreds of other worthy groups and non-profit organizations have labored and continue to labor to ease the suffering and assist those knocked down to once more stand up and move forward. And it is all made possible through the generosity of good people who "love" their neighbors.

Philanthropy--easing suffering and making the world a little better one gift at a time.

Beginning at the beginning......

A friend recently suggested that I begin a blog associated with my consulting practice and linked to my website. Not wanting to add another item to my already busy day, I asked him why I should do that. He replied with a very good answer. He said, "When you write 'it' down it forces you to organize your thoughts, to carefully consider those tenets of fundraising you have come to take for granted and it will help you more clearly define and refine your philosophy of fundraising." It was reasoned advice that I have been resisting up until this very moment. So here goes!

My intention is to discuss and comment on the art, science and philosophy of fundraising. In doing so, I will draw from my own years of varied experience, that of my colleagues and from others who have published their thoughts. I hope to comment on current trends and discuss some of the latest news in the philanthropy world. From time to time, if you will excuse me, I might stray a little and discuss a topic or two that does not specifically deal with philanthropy or fundraising but none-the-less will hopefully be of value.

Your comments, suggestions and push back not only are welcome but encouraged. As a consultant I probably should not say this, but no one person has all the answers.