Steve Denning, author of The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management, writes in his blog that 20th century management focuses “achieving a finite goal of delivering goods and services, to make money.” In the 21st century, the focus of management is “the infinite goal of delighting customers” and by meeting that goal, the company will make money. Making money is not the goal, but it is the result of meeting the goal.
On LinkedIn Answers, a student posted the question, “What do you think is 21st century learning?” One response came from Tom Field, Editorial Director at Information Security Media Group. He said succinctly: “To oversimplify…the 20th century was all about what happened—what you read in books and periodicals. The 21st century is all about what’s happening—in the news and in the social networks. Critical thinking is more important than ever, sifting through all the information and deciding which is relevant and which is just … noise.”
While his analysis is oversimplified, and not everyone agrees, Field is on the same bandwidth as Denning. Engagement, whether the goal is customer delight or learning based on the right now, is the key to successful outcomes in the 21st century.
You can read all the comments on LinkedIn Answers here.
Raising support—and dollars—for your school is rooted in personal engagement with your donors and prospects. Now, more than ever, you need to get to know the people who support—or who you hope will support—your school on a personal level, and “delight” them with the connections between their passions and the school. Show how they can, and do, make a difference in the life of your school.
Getting to know your donors and prospects is an ongoing effort. And it's more than getting a name and a giving potential. You have to find out why that individual may be interested in giving money to your school—take a look at the prospect’s club and civic activities, consider the prospect’s degrees and occupation, other organizations that receive the donor’s support. Find a common ground between the school and the prospect.
Boston University recently sent a planned giving e-letter out to alumni that included giving e-brochure links, a gift calculator, bequest language, and more. But the link called “Donor Stories” is especially thoughtful. Click on it and you see nine different donors and what compelled them to give. Robert and Robin Margerson connected with the University’s Historical Performance Department because of their passion for baroque music. Others are alumni giving to the next generation. Each story spells out a special connection between the donor and the school.
You need to educate the prospect or donor about your school’s mission and the positive impact it has on students—and the community. Why should that person support your school? The answer can’t be “because we do a good job.” Tailor your story to what the donor will most be interested in. Then show how your school will be excellent stewards of his/her gift.
If your school is considering a capital campaign, a campaign feasibility study is a crucial step to take before ever launching a campaign. You not only should test the waters for a goal dollar figure, you need to find out if right now, your school can be successful. Will your potential giving community—which may have the means—ready and willing to support your project? How much will they support it? Do you have leadership donors ready to give? And, most importantly, is your institution ready to conduct and see through the campaign? This research is essential—you never want to plan and launch a campaign until you know you can achieve the goal. You must know the amount you expect to raise before you start. A feasibility study is very much about the “here and now”—21st century thinking.
Denning says that “everyone in the organization is responsible for finding new ways to add value and delight customers.” Indeed, every person within your school has a responsibility for spreading the word on how your school makes a difference. Engagement is not just the Development Director’s job. Your Development Quartet—the Board President, the Development Committee Chair, and the Head along with the Development Director—all play key roles in engagement. Your faculty members, who deliver the mission directly, have stories to tell of the impact programs make on students, as do your school’s families. It’s all about the connection.
In a previous e-letter, we wrote that “now more than ever—tell the donors what their gifts will achieve.” Before you do that, do your homework! Know your donors and prospects so you can give them the value, the delight, that will bring them on board. Then, make sure you make the effect of their generosity clear and concise.
Additional ISM Resources of Interest:
Four Strategies That Turn Prospects Into Donors
The Shared Roles of Your School’s Advancement Team Members
Additional ISM Resources for Consortium Members:
To The Point, Vol. 14 No. 5 The Circle of Influence as a Fund-Raising Tool
I&P Vol. 35 No. 7 ISM’s ISM’s Two Development Stability Markers: How Do You Score?
