Are You Ready to pivot?

Ad from Alaska Airlines

I used to smile when I would see this ad from Alaska Airlines. It was witty and exemplified making a quick decision appropriate to the occasion.

As a fundraiser, sometimes you need to be ready for a change of plans - a sudden opportunity to speak to a prospect, a change of venue for a meeting, or a mini-crisis at an event.

If you have been working in the profession for some time, you have had to rise to meet your own challenges - a board member who forgets to show up for a meeting with a donor, an auctioneer who doesn't show up for the big fundraising gala, miscommunication with a group of donors (email or direct mail) where individual discussions need to happen to repair the relationships, maybe even a wardrobe "malfunction" right before a big meeting.

Although we always want meetings, events, and relationships to progress smoothly, when you are planning, take a moment to consider what you may do if it doesn't.

Remember to be flexible and gracious in your actions and relationships - something serendipitous may happen!