Characteristics of a good development director

Technical skill or personality, which is most important when hiring a new Director of Development?

That is a great question.

And, while both would be ideal, that is not always a guarantee.

So, what do you look for in this case?

While just about anyone can have the skill set of a fundraiser, not everyone can have the temperament to be a superior Director of Development. It takes personality to make a professional difference. And, let’s be honest, not everyone has a personality.

What kind of personality?

Well, development professionals must have a temperament suited to serving people’s needs. They must be attentive, persistent, and flexible. They need to have a thick skin and be willing to give others credit. A huge piece of the job is making others look good while taking the back seat to their ego. When they do their job well, no one knows about it. They make an indirect, not a direct, contribution to accomplishments and very rarely if ever, take the credit.

The best development professionals are servant leaders, putting the needs of the organization and those that they serve ahead of their very own. They are the voice of the donor within the organization and the profession as a whole.

Since they are that voice for the donor, I then ask, what is it that donors expect in that person?

A recent article published on Guidestar stated that donors want someone who is passionate and enthusiastic about the mission, has high standards of integrity, authenticity, self-confidence, and, most importantly, someone who loves their work and shows it by their willingness to pay the price to get the job done with joy.

So, don’t hire based just on skill sets or certifications alone. You might not be satisfied with what you get. Delve deeper to determine if this person has the right attitude, temperament, and belief that will take your organization to the next level and meet the needs of your donors.

I shall dare to say, good Development Directors are not as easy to find.  But, the bad ones are!

This article was originally published on February 26, 2017.

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