In any work situation, you\u2019ll encounter someone who\u2019s hard to work with. They may have a different work style than you do. You might have a hard time communicating with them. They may run fundraising campaigns that don\u2019t make sense to you. They may enjoy eating microwaved fish at their desk. Whatever the difference is, you can rest assured that you\u2019ll always need to work with someone you don\u2019t necessarily love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When your coworker is driving you nuts (and, let\u2019s be honest, you\u2019re probably driving them nuts, too), remember this quote. You both have different habits and language. You think differently. You have different attitudes towards smelly lunches. But you\u2019re both on the same page, and you\u2019re both working on the same mission. That\u2019s something to be valued!<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"ron](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Ron-and-Hermione-Hand-Shake.gif\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n2. \u201cSoon we must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Man oh man, isn\u2019t it aggravating when you have to make this choice? Whether you\u2019re trying to make little decisions (like whether you\u2019ll spend some time creating a top-notch receipt instead of using a copy-and-paste template) or big ones (like whether you\u2019ll take a major donation from a problematic donor), you\u2019ll eventually have to choose between doing something the easy way or doing something right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spoiler, if you haven\u2019t read Harry Potter: doing it the easy way never works out.<\/p>\n\n\n – Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even serial rule-follower Hermione Granger gets excited about breaking the rules sometimes. Breaking rules can be a good thing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, we don\u2019t suggest breaking BIG rules like tax laws or laws against discriminatory hiring practices. But some rules are made to be broken. Does your appeal sound stiff and boring? Maybe it\u2019s time to break some of the grammar rules you learned in college. Traditional fundraising events not working for you? It\u2019s time to break out of the \u201cwe\u2019ve-always-done-it-this-way\u201d box and try something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No two organizations have the same donor base, so what is best practice for other nonprofits might not work for yours. Using others\u2019 examples as a template for your own fundraising ideas is a great move, but don\u2019t follow another\u2019s playbook entirely. You\u2019re not working with the same team!<\/p>\n\n\n – Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is kind of similar to the Dumbledore quote up there, but still. This quote from Sirius stands out, especially because of his story. Sirius was framed for murder, lived on the run, and still managed to do right by his friends and the wizarding world at large. If anyone could have acted on the dark inside him, it\u2019s Sirius!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone who\u2019s worked in the nonprofit world knows that there are many opportunities to act on that darker side of ourselves. It\u2019s easy to pass the blame when a campaign falls flat, lapse into gossiping about what that one donor did at the last gala (and did you see<\/em> what she was wearing?!), or tear down struggling coworkers. Being tempted by those things doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re a bad person! The choices you make are what counts.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n – Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The world is nuts right now. Nonprofits are working to offer desperately-needed services in their communities, and they\u2019re doing so all over the world. When we see alarming trends like giving going down in 2018, it\u2019s easy to feel like we have to compete with other nonprofits for every last dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, yes, having donors switch to supporting a different nonprofit can be heartbreaking. If (and when) you ever find yourself in that situation, remind yourself: that nonprofit\u2019s mission is worthy, too. The lives they impact are important. It doesn\u2019t remove the sting of losing support, but it can help ease the pain a little.<\/p>\n\n\n – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We all know that storytelling is one of the most important skills to have when you\u2019re a fundraiser. Dumbledore beautifully sums up why that\u2019s the case: words can heal injuries, right wrongs, and amend injustices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those words can also inflict damage, even if we didn\u2019t necessarily mean for it to happen. So, take a lesson from Dumbledore; be intentional with the words you use. Whether you\u2019re writing an appeal, sending an update, pushing for change, or navigating a difficult board meeting, be careful with what you say and how you say it.<\/p>\n\n\n – Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you think about it, nonprofit fundraisers are in the business of setting audacious goals and pursuing lofty missions. They want to eliminate rampant hunger in their communities! Prevent environmental crises! Save lives by providing medical care! Rescue mistreated animals! Educate new generations of humanity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s easy to lose sight of the daring goals you\u2019ve set for yourself when you\u2019re caught up in the day-to-day routines of answering emails and reconciling bank statements. Every once in a while, take a leaf from Ginny\u2019s book and evaluate what you\u2019re doing. Psych yourself up. Think of all the good you\u2019re doing in the world, set some new goals, and find the nerve to make it possible.<\/p>\n\n\n – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Burnout is one of the biggest challenges nonprofit fundraisers face. Some of the driving reasons for burnout are related to problems in the industry itself; pay is often low, budgets are small, and fundraisers are expected to do more with less. It\u2019s a topic that\u2019s been pretty thoroughly discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But burnout can also be attributed to the nature of the job. When you\u2019re a fundraiser, you\u2019re faced with some of humanity\u2019s biggest problems every day. That can easily become a burden! When you\u2019re overwhelmed by the problem you\u2019re trying to solve, remind yourself of two things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One: the fact that you\u2019re burdened by the work you do means that you\u2019ve resisted becoming cynical and jaded. It means you\u2019re still empathetic and compassionate. That\u2019s amazing! And, two, remember that your mental health is important. Your humanity is an important strength, but even the strongest people in the world need a break every once in a while. Set healthy boundaries, seek counseling or therapy when you need it, and build a network of people that can support each other when burnout starts to happen. You\u2019re doing important work, and people need you to take care of yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The world these days is wild. People are divided by ideologies, politics, religion, and every other factor you can image. The disagreements we face every day are important and valid: it should always be acceptable to disagree with each other, condemn bigotry, and stand up for truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whenever possible, we should strive to address those differences and disagreements with integrity. The way our nonprofits navigate sensitive issues can unite or divide the people in our communities even further. When we respond to divisions, react to disagreements, or find ourselves in the difficult position of having to speak out against bigotry or hate, our responses should be carefully considered. We should always promote unity and love over division and hate. We\u2014and our communities\u2014will be made stronger for it.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuh,\u201d we might think when we read this quote. \u201cOf course the truth is preferable to lies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it is so, so easy to fall into the habit of telling little white lies. It\u2019s easy to minimize transparency. We can easily fall into the trap of fudging numbers, exaggerating stories, or smoothing over bumpy progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since transparency is an increasingly important factor donors use to determine where they give, it\u2019s critical that we prioritize honesty. And that doesn\u2019t only mean telling the technical truth! It also means sharing financial information, being open about fundraising progress, staying accountable to board members, and being transparent with our donors and the community at large!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who knew the Harry Potter books held so much wisdom for fundraisers?<\/p>\n\n\n Make your fundraising even more magical by using a platform that’s the software equivalent of Harry’s Firebolt. Schedule a demo with us to learn how to grow your fundraising faster than you can say “Accio Donations.”<\/p>\n\n\n![\"albus](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Choices-Dumbledore.gif\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n3. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s sort of exciting, isn\u2019t it, breaking the rules?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"hermione](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Hermione-clapping.gif\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n4. \u201cWe\u2019ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That\u2019s who we really are.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"sirius](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Sirius-Quote.gif\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n5. \u201cEvery human life is worth the same, and worth saving.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n6. \u201cWords are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n7. \u201cYou sort of start thinking anything\u2019s possible if you\u2019ve got enough nerve.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n8. \u201cHarry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human\u2026 the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n9. \u201cWe are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n10.\u201cIt is my belief\u2026 that the truth is generally preferable to lies.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHey, fundraisers!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n