Every Fundraiser Needs Grace

This is the second in a three-part series on why fundraisers need grit, grace and gratitude.

To me, grace means kindness and approaching people or situations with a welcoming heart and open attitude. Acting with grace means overlooking frustrations, being considerate and thoughtful.

Grace may be the most important characteristic we need for success.

Grace offers the ease to keep our lives as moving smoothly as we navigate the delights and challenges of working in the nonprofit sector.

Let’s face it, as a fundraiser you have the joy of connecting with a wide variety of people: donors, volunteers, board members and team members. And introverts and extroverts; the emotional and factual; the elderly, the young, and every one else; the fans and the haters. 

Happily, I find that nearly every fundraiser handles situations with grace when it comes to donors, volunteers and prospects. Sometimes, though, I find that we fundraisers may be more gracious with external audiences than our internal teams. For some, it feels harder to maintain composure, squelch irritations, and rise above pettiness when it comes to our colleagues. We should be extending our well-practiced grace with them, too!

Here's a method I use when I find my grace wearing thin: I imagine that today, possibly this person’s favorite pet ran away. Or they recently had confirmation of a serious health problem. Or their job was eliminated. Next time you're feeling less-than-gracious toward someone, give it a try. 

As fundraisers we have big hearts. Acting with grace allows others to see just how big our hearts are, from every angle.