diDo F2F Training

How to Prevent Conflicts in Your F2F Team ? Where there are people, there will be conflicts. It’s just how things work. But a strong F2F team doesn’t just fix conflicts, it prevents them. After eight years of building teams, I’ve learned one simple truth: people need a way to express frustrations without breaking relationships. They need to feel heard, not blamed. That’s where the Confrontation Message comes in. It’s a way to address issues before they turn into real problems. Here’s how it works: ?? Describe the behavior, not the person Say what happened, not what kind of person they are. Calling someone “lazy” or “unfair” won’t solve anything—it just makes things worse. Instead, focus on actions. ?? Say how it made you feel Be real. Were you frustrated? Disappointed? Overwhelmed? When you share honestly, the other person is more likely to listen instead of getting defensive. ?? Explain why it matters Every action has an impact. Maybe missing a meeting threw off your plans. Maybe a last-minute change made fieldwork harder. People respond better when they understand the bigger picture. ? For example: "Hey Florin, I saw you missed the team leader meeting and didn’t let me know. That really threw me off because I had planned the session assuming everyone would be there. It made it harder to keep things on track." This approach isn’t just theory, it’s a game-changer. ?? It’s inspired by Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Leadership Effectiveness Training (LET), both proven methods for building strong teams. If you want to dive deeper, we’ve got a Leadership Program Waitlist that covers this and more - https://bit.ly/4huJqDZ Until then, stay inspired and Trust The Process. PS: if you need any feedback, support or a brief chat, reach out at [email protected]

Culture & Performance in F2F Fundraising The main goal of any face-to-face fundraising project is to sign up as many quality donors as as efficiently as possible. But if you're a leader or manager in the sector, you’ve probably realised by now that culture is just as important as performance. A strong culture reduces turnover, lowers recruitment costs, and ultimately drives better results. Here are a few signs of a great team culture: ?? ?People enjoy coming to work. You see more smiles than frowns. ?? ?? ?There’s a sense of security. Everyone feels encouraged to be authentic, and relationships are generally positive. ?? ?? ?Growth is constant. Personal development brings a sense of purpose, boosting engagement and motivation. ?? So what can you do to build a great culture if you're not already there? It starts with strong communication. Whether it’s NVC, LET, or another approach, setting high standards and having leaders who model them almost guarantees success. A Chinese proverb says, “If man was meant to speak more than listen, he would have two mouths and one ear.” In other words, listening is key. ?? This is where active listening comes in, the ability to hear beyond the words, reflect emotions back without interrupting, and create a space where people feel safe to express themselves. ?? Drop a comment below and share how important listening is in your organisation. ?? In our DLDP program, we have a dedicated focus on this, called we call it Interpersonal Intelligence, where active listening is at the core. If you want to see how you score in this area, here’s a free scorecard to bring you more clarity - https://bit.ly/4aQrFN2 Until next time, stay inspired and trust the process. ? P.S. For more info, support and feedback, you can find me at [email protected] ??

What’s Your Strategy for the Day? Going out to fundraise without a strategy is a strategy, just not a great one. It usually means settling for poor and inconsistent results! If you’re leading a team and fundraising alongside them, having a solid plan can turn an okay day into a winning one ??. Here are a few key elements to keep in mind: ?? Warm-up matters. Everyone gets into the zone differently. Some do it on the field, others in a morning meeting. Know what works for you and do it with purpose! ?? Pick a focus for the day. Skill drives results. So make sure you and your fundraisers focus daily on sharpening skills, stopping, pitching, objection handling are just a few ideas. ? The Hour of Power. In the last hour, give it everything. 110%, no matter what’s going on around you. Leave expectations at home, commit to the process, and you’ve got a solid recipe for success ??. What works for you? Drop a comment or shoot me an email at [email protected]. P.S. More about us here: didof2f.com

PIP & Foundations: Guiding, Not Pushing If you've been in F2F fundraising for more than a few months, whether in-house, agency or hybrid, you’re familiar with the ups and downs of fundraiser performance. Since the goal is to secure as many high-quality sign-ups as possible in the shortest time, these fluctuations can be a real headache if you're a leader or program director. To keep things under control, you can either prevent issues, by investing in training, sharpening skills, testing new locations, organizing team events, and keeping meetings fresh, or treat them, using tools like PIP (Performance Improvement Plans), 1-on-1s, tough conversations, or, when needed, letting people go. Today's focus -? PIP planning, how to get under performers back on track: ?? The Trigger – Define exactly when a fundraiser enters a PIP and how long it lasts. ?? The Boost – Providing targeted support is essential - whether through a dedicated coach, a senior fundraiser, or a resource detective? - someone who shadows them in the field and guides empowers them to improve. ?? The Target – Set development goals that go beyond just results, helping fundraisers focus on what they can control, not just sign-ups. Whatever approach you take, the key is to support and track progress. The better your team is supported, the more you gain, higher performance, lower recruitment costs, and a stronger culture. Our Leadership Development Program is designed to help you gain clarity on what can be improved and give you the structure to build the processes you need to reach the next level in performance and culture. We're fully booked right now, but if you're interested, we have a waiting list here - https://bit.ly/4huJqDZ. You'll be the first to know when a spot opens up! If you need any fast support or anything else, give me a holler at [email protected]. Until next time, stay inspired and Trust The Process!

Performance 101 ?? Whether you're running an agency, in-house, or hybrid F2F fundraising team, the goal isn’t just to hit targets, it’s to exceed them. And to do that, performance has to be a constant priority. Different organisations approach this in different ways, but some principles hold true everywhere. Here are three key elements that can help your team stay on track and deliver results: 1. Think bigger than daily targets ?? Step beyond the daily grind and look at performance in monthly sprints. Your fundraisers and team leaders will operate differently when they have clarity on long-term goals, rather than just “doing their best” each day. For example, fundraisers who know their monthly targets will naturally adjust their daily approach. Leaders will be more engaged, having more conversations and coaching moments when they see how the month is shaping up. 2. Growth fuels performance ?? A fundamental principle is this: the more skilled your team is, the better they perform. That’s why, beyond performance targets, every fundraiser and leader should have clear development focus areas that help them achieve their outcomes: skills, abilities, behaviours. For fundraisers, this could be developing their objection handling or rapport building. For leaders, maybe it’s running more effective 1-on-1s or resolving conflicts. These skills don’t just help performance, they define it. 3. Measure success by progress, not just results ? A stoic mindset helps keep motivation and empowerment high. Results can fluctuate based on factors you can’t control. But progress, that’s in your control. In practice, it’s simple - for fundraisers: how many objections did you tackle this today? For leaders: in how many conversations did you use the NVC feedback model? Goals alone aren’t enough. Regularly reviewing ?? and adjusting them is where real performance happens. Yet, in practice, this is where many organizations struggle. That’s why in our DLDP (Dynamic Leadership Development Program), we have an entire section dedicated to Performance Management, covering everything from basics to compliance & regulations. If you're curious, check it out here: didof2f.com Or, if you want to see where you stand, take our free Performance Scorecard now. It’s quick, insightful, and totally free ?? https://bit.ly/4aQrFN2 Until next time, stay inspired & Trust the Process. ?

Leading from a Distance: How to Support Your Leaders When You’re Not There Leadership is dynamic. Some days, you’re in the field, face-to-face with your team. Other days, you're leading from a distance, keeping things moving across different locations, cities or even countries. And at its core, leadership isn’t about control, it’s about developing other leaders. But to do that well, you need to support them in the way they actually need. Your leaders have their highs and lows. Some days, everything clicks, fundraisers show up on time, conversations flow, sign-ups roll in. On other days the team is late, locations are a bust, tablets crash and morale plummets. It’s on those days, especially those days, that they need to feel they’re not alone. That someone’s got their back. And honestly, a simple effective check-in call can go a long way ?? Just reaching out, asking how things are going and actually listening makes all the difference. If you're more experienced, your goal shouldn’t just be to check in but to really hear them ?? Listen, understand, make sure they feel understood. Because solutions usually come easy. Most people already know what they need to do, they just need the space and support to get there. Remote leadership is a core skill for any senior leader or manager in an F2F project. Do it well and you’ll reduce turnover, stay connected to what’s actually happening and, most importantly, boost performance ?? Because at the end of the day, that’s what we’re all here for. In our DLDP leadership development program, we dedicate an entire module to this. If you're curious, check out didof2f.com. And in the meantime, stay inspired and trust the process ?

Leading vs. Managing: Finding the Right Balance for Real Impact ???? Being strategic in your business or project isn’t just about having a long-term vision, it’s about knowing the right steps to take to get there. Today’s post is about leadership vs. management. When should you lead, and when should you manage? Knowing the difference can help you avoid costly mistakes and make a bigger impact on your team and project. Some say leadership is about people and relationships ????, while management leans more toward tasks, structure, and execution ???. It’s not a strict rule, and depending on who you ask, definitions might shift. In face-to-face fundraising, for instance, a manager often handles performance plans, tough conversations, team organization, and, at times, firing people. A leader, on the other hand, focuses on building trust, leading by example, and opening new horizons, at least in terms of vision. So why does this matter? Because leaders need management skills, and managers need leadership skills. The clearer you are on when to switch between the two, the better you can develop the right abilities to bring real value to your work. Our Dynamic Leadership Development Program (DLDP) is designed with this in mind. The success of your project is often directly tied to the quality of your leadership and management. Now, about joining us: we're fully booked until June, but if you're interested in the next cohort, join the waitlist here – bit.ly/4huJqDZ. You will be the first one to know. In the meantime, stay inspired and Trust?The?Process. ???

Leadership & Strategy: The GPS of F2F Fundraising ?? Great F2F programs don’t just run on passion, they run on vision and strategy. You need both. And more importantly, you need to connect the dots between them. ?? Long-term vision means setting goals not just for this month or this year, but aligning today’s actions with a strategy that shapes your program’s future. As the Good Book says, where there is no vision, the people perish. Same goes for our work, clarity keeps you on course. Without it, distractions take over. ?? Og Mandino nailed it: most people fail not because they lack talent, but because they get sidetracked by secondary activities. In F2F, saying no to the wrong things is just as important as saying yes to the right ones. ?? Our DLDP program digs deep into this. We even built an assessment to help you see how your team is doing in this area - takes just 5 minutes ? Curious? Take it here: bit.ly/4aQrFN2 Until next time, stay inspired & trust the process ?? P.S. Wanna see what we do? Check us out: ?? didof2f.com

Rapport - fundraising starts with connection ? Face-to-face fundraising isn't just about signing up donors, it’s about creating a real connection, even if it’s only for a few minutes. And at the core of that connection is one key element: rapport ?? Here’s something fascinating about how our brains work. When you approach a potential donor, their brain instantly categorizes you in one of four ways: neutral, predator, friend, or romantic interest. The key to building rapport effectively is to avoid coming across as a threat or a potential date. You can read more on this here: https://bit.ly/415phP4 ?? Today’s post is all about rapport-building, what fundraisers and leaders can do to truly connect with donors. Let’s break it down: ?? Use their name. People love hearing their own name, it’s personal and meaningful. I once had to ask a donor for her name four times during a conversation. I wasn’t at my best that day, but I made the effort because I saw it as a sign of respect. In the end, she appreciated the sincerity and effort behind it. ?? Ask open-ended questions. Keep it light, but get them talking. Try questions like: ? What do you do for a living? ? What do you love most about your job? ? What made you smile today? Bonus points if you notice something about them - maybe they’re wearing a Metallica shirt or carrying a gym bag. Contextual and situational questions make for the best icebreakers. ?? Practice active listening. This goes beyond just hearing words, it’s about picking up on how the other person feels and being able to articulate that. It’s an advanced skill. I introduce it during induction training, but it takes real practice to master. Beyond making the job more enjoyable and giving you the opportunity to meet incredible people, strong rapport significantly increases the chances of signing donors. Of course, there are plenty of other ways to build rapport, drop a comment below and share your favorites! If you’re looking for more, here’s a fantastic video from Jules on this topic: https://bit.ly/4b5FYxr ?? I hope you found at least one valuable takeaway from this! If you have any thoughts, stories, or ideas, drop a comment or shoot me an email at [email protected] ?? Until next time, stay inspired and trust the process! ??

The success of your program depends on how well-prepared your leaders are. The more skilled they are, the better they perform, inspire, and solve problems, both on and off the field. Most organizations fall into two categories: ? Some have structured leadership training, clear onboarding for new managers or internal development for those promoted. ? Others rely on luck, expecting new leaders to figure things We’ve identified five essential leadership skills that drive success: ?? Strategic Leadership – Thinking long-term, balancing leadership and management, staying connected with remote teams, and adapting to change. ?? Performance Management – Setting and reviewing objectives, inspiring performance in team meetings, managing performance and ensuring compliance ?? Interpersonal Intelligence – Building strong relationships, handling conflicts, giving feedback, and creating a positive team culture. ?? Coaching and Training – Developing people effectively, whether through structured training or a coaching mindset. ?? Recruitment – Selecting the right people and reducing turnover through better screening and onboarding. With 20+ years of experience in F2F, we’ve built the DLDP to cover everything your program needs to succeed. Every organisation is different, so we design training around where you are, not where we assume you should be. Our approach is clear, engaging, and focused on real skill development. ?? Curious? Register your interest by Join our waitlist here – https://bit.ly/4huJqDZ ?? More about us: didof2f.com