Protect The Team
I write this from the perspective of a consultant. While that's what I do now, it's not all that I know. I've functioned on several internal development teams, and now, as a co-founder and partner in a firm, I function within another one.
My partner (who doubles as my spouse) and I are often inspired or motivated by things we read and hear that have nothing to do with fundraising but are incredibly relatable. Recently, we heard Dr. Michael Gervais speak about the rules on a sophisticated athletic team -- one of those was to "protect the team at all costs." It's not rocket science, but it's not entirely obvious either: even when we are focused on our own specific role and duty, we are collectively working toward the same greater good. Why does that matter more right now? Because it’s a mentally challenging year and hearing reminders about collective devotion to something can be helpful.
Right now, everyone is feeling an abnormally high level of anxiety around the future. But even in the greatest of times, I’d argue, there is always some level of uncertainty. Let's talk about what is certain: there are and will be relationships and partnerships that make up an organization's team. You're bonded by the shared commitment you have to elevating a nonprofit, or completing an important project, or launching an initiative, and you're all around the same table because you're motivated to do this same thing.
When we have a sense of loyalty to one another, we have space to disagree, to be daring and innovative, to talk about ideas that may even be unattainable or that will require a lot of hard work. There's a certainty, and a feeling of safety, around moving forward together. As a team. The most important thing you can do is protect your team at all costs. There's no greater sense of productivity than amongst partners working on a shared mission who trust one another. During a year that stands to be one of the most challenging for organizations and institutions of all sizes, you must have space to be innovative, flexible, daring and nimble -- these elements have actually become necessary to success. And thus, the team.
I work as an advisor to many organizations. I assure my partners: you are on my team. You are a part of the team I think about when I am wrapping my day and wondering what's been the most rewarding and most challenging points for my clients. At all costs, I protect you, my team, because the loyalty and devotion we have to one another, and our teammates, and the larger organization’s success, gives us the edge we need; I know what we can accomplish without silos, and I challenge all development offices and organizations to promote the protecting-your-team rule. It's not to say that we'll all meet and automatically trust each other, but it is to say that if we put our best foot forward in making genuine relationship-building a top priority, protecting our own team will be a natural extension of what we already do, and we'll accomplish much more.
