Your school’s administrators—from the School Head, to the Admission Director, to the Business Manager—are all ambassadors of your school’s mission. They are the physical “faces” to your community that embody your school’s values. Their ambassadorship means they all have vital roles to play in promoting and representing your annual fund and capital campaigns to current and potential donors.
It’s in the best interest of the Development Office—and therefore the school— to smooth the way for new administrators, helping them feel familiar and welcome to your school community. Recruit these administrators as your partners from early on, and you’ll have greater support for Development Office projects within the school.
Focus on them, not their predecessors.
Newcomers will most likely feel they are inheriting a situation—positive or negative—from the departing predecessors. Therefore, everything possible should be done to prepare for the new administrator’s success in his/her position with the community. Doing so will generate hope in new potential and ideas, as opposed to disappointment in the wake of a predecessor (or toxic expectations).
When talking about new administrators to community stakeholders (e.g., long-term donors, parents, faculty, fellow administrators), focus on the accomplishments of the new hire, rather than talking about the person who used to fill that position. Don’t criticize or otherwise join in gossip about the departing administrator, but work to redirect conversation to the skills and talents of the incoming administrator.
Compile a “cheat sheet” full of pertinent details concerning philanthropy.
Put together a document as a sort of “cheat sheet” introduction to community stakeholders, with the focus toward the school’s philanthropic ambitions, as appropriate for each administrator’s position. This document can include the state of the school’s annual fund and other capital campaigns (if any), including goals and uses of donated money; and current and desired donors, as well as otherwise influential community members both inside and outside the school.
While you may lose a great advocate for your school in a departing administrator, approach his/her replacement with hope and help for them to acclimate to the school. In this way, you can retain the relationship your office holds with the administrators in all parts of your school.
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Development Directors Vol. 14 No. 1 Advice for New Development Directors
The Source for School Heads Vol. 14 No. 1 Advice to New School Heads
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 36 No. 13 Ease the Transition for the Incoming Head
