How to Succeed in Fundraising

4. No surprises — warn your boss, or client, well in advance if you’re going to miss a deadline or are having a problem. That way there’s time to adjust the schedule or your workload or bring in additional help, depending on priorities.

5. When you go to your boss, or your client, with a problem, have your recommended solution. If you just come with a problem, your supervisor will, thanks to experience, usually know the answer. And it’ll sound logical, even obvious to you. If, instead, you think through the problem and a solution on your own before you come to the meeting, you’ll either be right (which is good) or you’ll be wrong and learn where and why you missed the mark (which is invaluable to your career growth).