The Chief Development Officer by Ronald J. Schiller

Author:Ronald J. Schiller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: undefined
Publisher: R&L Education
Published: 2012-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Empathy

Successful CDOs are able to empathize. They are curious about the responsibilities, attitudes, and motivations of others. In practicing empathy, they improve their ability to earn the trust and loyalty of staff members and peers, and to understand and shape the motivations of donors. “The most successful CDO I’ve ever known could sit in any person’s seat, figure out what that person wanted and why, and respond appropriately, consistently producing the best outcomes for all concerned,” says Carol O’Brien, leading development consultant and president of Carol O’Brien Associates, Inc.

Lack of empathy has led to the downfall of many CDOs. Without empathy, it is very hard to achieve the philanthropic partnership with donors discussed earlier in this book. Beyond examples with a direct and immediate adverse impact on fundraising, CEOs and board members shared dozens of stories of CDOs who failed due to their inability to place themselves in the shoes of internal colleagues. These CDOs, constantly in “command and control mode,” tried to force change rather than focus on removing obstacles to change.

A story from a university president helps to illustrate.

A new professional school dean wanted to achieve greater coordination of development efforts between the professional school staff and the university development staff. With a history of poor relations between the two staffs, and a faculty well aware of this history, the dean needed a solution that would achieve greater coordination and yet be acceptable to the faculty of the school. The dean proposed that the school-based development director have a dotted-line reporting relationship with the university CDO, and a solid-line relationship to the dean. Oblivious to the politics involved and the earnest desire, in this case, for the dean to find a solution that would position everyone involved for the greatest possible success, the CDO insisted on a solid-line relationship to the university CDO, and a dotted line to the dean. The CDO lost the confidence of all concerned and wound up with no relationship at all.

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