Organization, communication, continual learning make you a fundraiser

By Mazarine Treyz

Figure out what motivates you the best. Is it compensation? Compliments? Little thank-you notes from your boss? Find out a way to communicate this in one of your first meetings.

5 conversations to have with your boss

You need to have several conversations with your boss.

Have a conversation about how your boss wants you to communicate. Does she prefer e-mail? Phone? What’s your communication style? How can you sync up with your boss? Where are the potential disconnects? What can the two of you agree to do to head off communication issues?
Have a conversation where you ask what the situation is this week. What is the highest priority, what is second and so on?
Have a conversation about what your boss’s expectations are for fundraising.
Have a conversation where you explain to your boss what you need, what resources you require. You probably want to explain your budget for marketing, events, etc., and talk about why you need more staff and specifically what you need the staff to do.
Have a conversation about how you can advance in the organization. You can make more money, sure, but what else? Could you get a change in title? Who will provide mentoring for you? Would you like to create organizational procedures around specific tasks? Would you like to streamline the identification and cultivation process for donors?

It’s also important to find out the answers to these questions: