10 things I learned about fundraising and working with people (spoiler alert, I'm still learning)

I recently left a fundraising job after four and half years and I've been reflecting on what I learned and what I'll take with me.

I worked at a national charity called Catch22. We created amazing frontline services and I'm really proud of the work we did together.

But, like anything worth doing, sometimes it was tough. I can't quite believe how much changed and how much I learned in that time.

Here’s my hot take on 10 things I’ll take with me on my professional journey:

1) Resilience is about choosing rest. I did some leadership training a few years back with a professional athlete who had hiked Everest. They pointed out that good athletes build rest into their routine and good professionals do too. I value walks, lunchbreaks, social chat and exercise as part of my professional regime, not as a break from it. When I’m rested, I’m better at my job.?? ??

2)?The person above you is also learning. It’s easy to believe your boss has all the answers and the reason they’re not giving them to you is because of time limitations, politics or communication. I’ve discovered that sometimes we’re all making decisions in the dark. Anyone who treats their boss with compassion and sees their learning journey for what it is will have a better time at work.

3)?Things will go wrong. Fundraising through a pandemic was brutal. I led a team to increase income at a time of economic uncertainty, when funding was falling off a cliff. Some of it was luck, some of it was right place, right time, some of it was sheer hard work. You can only plan so much. Sometimes you have to jump on opportunities where they come.

4) Relationships are key. Process, policies and governance all have their place. But if you want to move mountains, relationships are the best tool in your toolbelt. Good relationships also make work much more pleasurable. Learn what makes colleagues tick, share with them, connect.

5)?Decisions are better than stagnation. I reckon about 90% of my decisions work out and 10% don’t. 10% are things I should have given more time to, pondered a bit deeper or got more advice on. But, I move fast and get stuff done. Consultation is key in the right spaces, but leaders have to make choices and stand by them.

6)?Be generous. Many people over the years have given me time for a coffee, advice or chew the fat. There’s karma in these interactions – I’ve learned to make time to chat with people about their career journey. I still subscribe to the principles of billable time, but I’m less rigid these days. What goes around comes around.

7) Be boundaried. My natural tendency is to oversupport people and want to fix their problems. Managing a team means offering direction and support, it doesn’t always mean wading in to fix things. Boundaries offer clarity and containment, which in itself is a gift to the people you work with. Boundaries must be established and re-established throughout a professional relationship. This area is complex; I’m still learning.

8)?Delegation is a gift. I like moving quickly and getting stuff done. But I’ve learned that every time you do something for someone, instead of delegating, you’re robbing them of a chance to learn. Sometimes you have to step back and take the scaffolding away. It’s hard to watch someone struggle but that’s how they learn – it’s necessary for all of us to grow.

9) Chitchat is work. The first five minutes and the last two minutes are the most important of any meeting. The first sets the tone, and the last is how they’ll remember you. I used to be impatient and want to crack on. Now, I take more time to get to know someone and it always pays off.

10)?Praise and thank. At the end of 2022, my team all wrote notes of appreciation to each other and reflected on the year. These exercises are just as important as feedback and performance reviews. Work is tough. Celebrate each other. Say thank you. Tell someone they did a good job today. ?

What have you learned on your professional journey?