We are taking a closer look at donor relationships on this episode of What the Fundraising with my guest Carole Robin, whose class on interpersonal dynamics has been perennially among the most popular ever at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Why? Because, whether in the nonprofit or for-profit realm, we so often get relationships wrong, or just skip over them altogether at the expense of our desired outcomes. A co-founder of Leaders in Tech and co-author of "Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends, and Colleagues," Carol is sharing with us the transformational power of naming our experiences and understanding those of others. If the vulnerability implied makes you nervous, then this is the resource you need in order to start getting comfortable – with curiosity, with inquiry, and with holding space for authentic connection. When we interact openly with others, expressing our feelings appropriately, we open all kinds of doors, explains Carole. 

You’ll hear about modest but invaluable tools to help break through when we feel stuck or unwilling to move out of our comfort zones. It’s all about learning how to take small steps toward transparency. “People do business with people,” says Carole. “They don’t do business with ideas or machines or products or strategies or money. So unless you get the people part right, you’re going to be limited in how successful you’re going to be.” When we define what it is to have a “strong donor relationship” are we looking at the things that truly sustain it? Are we as fundraisers willing to open ourselves up to difficult conversations and communicate honestly what we’re asking for and are able to offer? Integrity is powerful and it starts with being able to name how we feel. Fortunately, says Carole, we’ve got a chance to deepen our understanding and fluency with this language each and every time we have a human interaction: “It’s just a matter of making a commitment. So pay attention and see where the lesson is!”  

In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. Learn how to create stronger, more meaningful relationships using feelings as part of your communication.
2. Understand how to give and receive feedback in a way that strengthens relationships.
3. Discover how to use inquiry and curiosity to deepen relationships with donors.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

A big shout out to our sponsor Instil, the holistic tool that reimagines nonprofit technology in ways that deepen community relationships and nonprofit processes to magnify impact. The platform’s advanced UX design and real-time analytics supercharge donors, increase volunteer engagement, and smooth donor management and operations across your entire organization.


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If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point