One of Deepak Chopra’s “10 Keys to Happiness” asks that you “Replace fear-motivated behavior with love-motivated behavior.”  And at  91 years old, Lewis Cullman leads a happy life of love-motivated behavior.  At a talk the two of us were giving together at Harvard a few weeks ago, the passionate philanthropist, who has to date given over $250 million to [...]

Beginnings are powerful motivators.  Your organization’s narrative already has a story of a powerful beginning — of the vision, passion and commitment of why it was started.  Use – and reuse – this narrative no matter what stage you’re at. Your meetings, your marketing materials, your site visits and your special events can all benefit [...]

When I was a kid, I had a book that had a photograph on every page with the caption: “What’s wrong with this picture?” I spent hours with that book, scanning every page looking for a window that opened the wrong way or a door that was missing a knob.  I got an incredible rush of satisfaction in [...]

Here’s a fundraising secret:  if at all possible, don’t meet people in their offices. Meet over a meal or a coffee. Why?  Because aside from the obvious office distractions and time limitations, people are deeply in their “roles” while enthroned behind their desks. This dynamic presents a stubborn barrier when you are setting the conditions for an [...]

I remember many years ago going to a fundraising seminar where a big part of the curriculum was about developing listening skills.  In addition to the usual basic tips (lean forward when you are talking to someone, make eye contact, etc), I was told about “reflecting”- that I should repeat back to the other person [...]

Fundraising should be a highly productive and joyful experience – one that is integral to, not separate from, your organization’s mission. Here are my top 10 tips for “going Exponential” 1.  Be radiant This is rule #1 for a critical reason.  Who would you want to spend time and partner with – people who drink [...]