"...Hope is not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out..." I’m reflecting on this quote by Vaclav Havel from a series of interviews, published in the book Disturbing the Peace, translated to English in 1990. Reflection question: How are you cultivating hope in something good, even if your follow-up call results in a no? Reflection on quote: If capital campaigns are like a riding a wild stallion without a saddle, then facing rejection is like being bucked off and being afraid to ride again.  This week, we will discuss how to develop the discipline of facing rejection.  Previously, we discussed developing disciplines with money beliefs, prioritizing tasks, and planting seeds of awareness. In this episode, we’ll discuss how to develop the discipline of hope when facing rejection. I am convinced that the moment we close the car door or we hit end on a call with a donor, the doubts begin to creep in.  And, slowly or quickly, we wonder if we will be rejected when we make the follow-up call or visit we promised to the donor. That’s where…

"...this old man was one of the most useful citizens of the world in his humble way. He has made a greater contribution to our civilization than we realize. He has left a place that never can be filled. Farewell, dear old eccentric heart, your labor has been a labor of love, and generations, yet unborn, will rise up and call you blessed..." Let’s listen to the tribute from Sam Houston around 1847 upon Johnny Appleseed’s death. Reflection questions: What approach are you taking: scattering seeds or planting seeds with intentional outcomes in mind? If you are in the pre-campaign readiness stage, have you considered the more effective ways to raise awareness in your community and brought in community leaders and potential donors to help you determine and implement those ways? Reflection on quote: Capital campaigns are like a riding a wild stallion without a saddle and one key to success is developing discipline. This series unpacks those disciplines. We’ve discussed how understanding our beliefs around money can assist us in creating the necessary disciplines around asking for donations. We’ve discussed how indecision and procrastination can steal opportunities and the importance of prioritizing tasks.  In this episode, we’ll discuss the discipline necessary…

"...This we must shed; this we must cast away, or else remain in misery..." In this second episode in our series on developing discipline, we are discussing the the effects of indecision and procrastination and the necessity of prioritizing the essential tasks of a capital campaign. This week, I’m reading the words of Cicero as weaved through several of his works, published between 89 BC and 43 BC.  Reflection questions: What are the obstacles to completing your campaign tasks?   Which discipline do you need to develop to prioritize campaign tasks? Reflection on quote: Why does it become so hard to stay disciplined in contacting potential and current donors during a capital campaign?  To pick up the phone? To schedule the meeting? To follow up after the meeting? To write the thank you note?  Perhaps we don’t know what to say. To which the discipline for indecision is to accept something said is better than nothing said.  Perhaps, we are distressed from a past bad experience with a donor. To which the discipline is forgiveness of ourself or the other person.  Perhaps, we are procrastinating and working on other urgent, more immediate tasks.  To which the discipline is carve out time each…

"..Consistent with social learning theory, individuals tend to carry beliefs about money and money skills learned in childhood into their adult lives..." This week, I’m reading selected quotes from Money Beliefs and Financial Behaviors by Bradley Klontz, Sonya Britt, and Jennifer Mentzer, published in 2011. Reflection Question: Which money script have you been operating in and how might you develop a new discipline? Reflection on Quote: An experienced campaign volunteer once told me that a capital campaign is like riding a wild, unbroken stallion without a saddle.  I’ve contemplated those words often as I coach clients.  When faced with an unruly stallion, we can either let the stallion take control or we can develop the discipline to work with him. The same applies to capital campaigns.  We can let the capital campaign spin out of control or we can develop discipline for the crucial elements of the campaign.  So, this month, we are starting a series on developing that discipline.  The first discipline we develop is becoming comfortable with inviting donors by unpacking our own beliefs around money before discussing generosity with them.  During a capital campaign, these money scripts can allow the wild stallion to take over.  Those with money avoidance…

"...Fancy is fruitful and promises fair, but, like the dog in the fable, we catch at a shadow, and when we find the disappointment, we are vexed, not with ourselves, who are really the impostors, but with the poor, innocent thing or person of whom we have formed such strange ideas..." This week, I am reading from Abigail Adams’ letter to Hannah Lincoln, written in 1761. Reflection questions: Have you become too firmly attached to the capital project you have envisioned and formed false notions of things and persons? Have you invited donors hear your wishes for the project and then listened to their input to make the project better? Reflections on quote: During the strategic, pre-development, and construction planning, we have grand wishes of what the project will be.  We dream about our mission and how this building will further that dream. It is a beautiful element in every capital campaign. Unfortunately, we can move too quickly from the construction planning to the quiet phase of asking donors.  And, in doing so, we can form false notions about things and persons; that, about the project and the donors who will fund the project. Then reality and disappointment will suddenly confront us…

"...The leadership of individuals or groups who can back their beliefs financially is particularly essential in the field of cultural amenities, in the fine arts, in education and research, in the preservation of natural beauty and historic treasures, and, above all, in the propagation of new ideas in politics, morals, and religion." This week, I’m reflecting on this quote by Friedrich Hayek from The Constitution of Liberty, published in 1960. Reflection question: As you plan for your small town capital campaign, how are you reaching out to potential donors, not to ask, but to persuade them to become a partner in the vision? Reflection on Quote: Today is our second in the series on having patience in the planning process of a capital campaign.  Last time, we looked at the role of strategic planning and envisioning the future.  This week, we will look at the relationship building and persuading partners.  In my rural community, a local nonprofit was building a beautiful arts and culture building and, in the middle of the campaign, the building costs spiked, adding millions to the cost.  I can only imagine the initial despair.  But, that despair only lasted for a moment.  This nonprofit went back to their…