Here's to the HOW

Labor Day Weekend seems an appropriate time to focus on the work it takes to make a campaign's biggest ideas happen.

In planning fundraising campaigns, many organizations start with WHAT - the priorities and ideas that provide donors an entry point into the campaign, something to give to. These are scholarships or buildings, faculty and research chairs, and new equipment to advance the standard of care. Clearly important, but often missing a connection to something bigger.

The "something bigger" is your WHY - the driving purpose and aspiration of your organization, what calls you to action in ways that will inspire your community. Answering WHY forms the foundation for all that you do, putting those ideas and plans (the WHAT) into context. This combination of WHY and WHAT both inspires and activates people based on what's possible through a campaign. It provides donors the opportunity to attach their passion to a project and join in a grand effort.

But it's still missing something... HOW are we going to get it done?'

By answering HOW you will bring the campaign's priorities to life, you are building a bridge between your most essential ideas and a donor's investment.

If WHY is the destination for your campaign and WHAT is the [choose your favorite vehicle, ideally a Ferrari but I won't tell you what to do], then HOW is the road to get there. If there is no clear path, or some clear warning signs, your constituents will be skeptical.

Getting to HOW may not be as exciting as coming up with your anthem and rallying cry or shaping exciting funding priorities... but it is equally important.

HOW is the distinctive approach and advantage you have in pursuing your campaign ambitions. It is the way in which you execute and deliver on promises that has inspired the trust given by your constituents.

HOW is also a litmus test for your biggest ideas, reminding you that, while much is to be gained by pursuing a big idea, if you don't have the capacity to deliver at a high level... you put trust and reputation at risk.

So, here's to HOW. It's the workhorse of your campaign, the unsung hero that connects your grandest ambitions with what you need to do to make them happen.

For more on the WHY, HOW, WHAT model, look to Simon Sinek's work on the Golden Circle.