The truth is, major gifts and staff management require different skill sets, and excelling in one doesn’t guarantee success in the other.

I learned this first hand after years of managing staff before transitioning into major gifts.

When I was promoted to oversee both, I thought I had it figured out—turns out, they’re vastly different challenges.

Here’s why:

◾ Many DoD job descriptions don’t balance major gifts with staff management, treating the latter as an add-on, leaving little time for both.

◾ DoDs are often evaluated more on money raised than on their staff management skills.

◾ Let’s face it—meeting with donors is more appealing than handling office issues, so when things get tough, people gravitate towards what they know best.

So, how can we set DoDs up to be better managers?

✅ Clearly define and value staff management while adjusting the load of major gifts.

✅ Invest in leadership and management training.

✅ Equally incentivize success in both areas.

It’s time to rethink how we support our leaders to excel in all aspects of their roles