Technology has made communicating and working in teams easier than it has ever been before. As nonprofit staff, we also have tools, tips, and case studies on how to be successful with virtual fundraising. But why do we still struggle with launching campaigns that yield a high impact? Why haven’t we reached our full potential as a team?
It’s because we don’t have the right types of people on our fundraising team.
There are four types of people that you need on your fundraising team. We adapted this from Bill Gross, founder of Idealab, as referenced on the Build.
The best teams are made up of four personality types:
- Entrepreneur – The one that has the vision for the fundraising campaign
- Producer – The one that “makes things happen” and leads the execution
- Administrator – The one that puts process and systems in place so things happen on time
- Integrator – The one that makes sure the team is working right
Is your team staffed the right way? You can take a window test with your team.
The Window Test
Imagine that your fundraising team is together in a room, staring out the same window. The window is dirty, but through it everyone can see an empty parking lot. Which one of the following statements are you and each of your team members most likely to make?
1. “We’d better clean the window.”
2. “I wonder what everyone else is thinking.”
3. “Look at the empty parking lot. We could host a fundraising event.”
4. “We could create a form that people could fill out and submit when they see something wrong with a window. Their feedback will go into a queue, and then we’ll get the problem taken care of.”
Results:
1. You’re a Producer (P). You like to make things happen, to execute plans, to take action steps toward solving problems.
2. You’re an Integrator (I). You prefer to build consensus—or at least to make sure that everyone’s perspective is shared and respected.
3. You’re an Entrepreneur (E). You envision what’s ahead. You don’t really see the actual window; you see what’s through the window.
4. You’re an Administrator (A). You seek to establish fair, effective processes for every contingency.
