7 Relevance Enhancers

Nonprofit leaders must inspire in many ways, and that includes fundraising.

That’s necessary, if not often easy.

During the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Fundraising Conference, Nigel Harris, chief executive officer of the Mater Foundation in Australia, emphasized the importance of relevance in the constellation of nonprofit leaders providing fundraising leadership.

Briefly, that means standing for something, defining what the leader and the organization do, making things happen.

To make that happen, Harris suggested seven relevance enhancers:

* Solutions leaders find for themselves and others. The problem a leader wants to forget enhances relevance;

* Passion to serve people. The relevance of making things better is the way it impacts people. Management is about people;

* Compassion, combined with highs standards;

* Engagement. It overcomes isolation;

* Resilience. Everyone who quits steps toward oblivion. Find someone who believes in you. Be a person who believes in others;

* Gratitude; and,

* Honesty with kindness.

Further, Harris gave five tips for standing out (in a good way).

* Express positive intention;

* Share your story, but be careful of whining;

* Enjoy approval from others, but don’t need it;

* Prepare for haters. Everyone who stands out meets haters; and,

* Don’t try to stand out. Be yourself.