The rapid pace of change in the prospect research profession over the past decade–even the past five years–has been head-spinning. And I’m not even thinking about information technology!
For the majority of organizations and institutions that employ prospect research staff, there is are cognition that it is a skilled position, and for some, a recognition that it is critical to future fundraising growth.
No longer is prospect research perceived as a clerical function. If you are new to the field, you might not realize how new this perception of prospect research is.
Suddenly there are prospect research professionals with managerial and leadership titles. No longer is your career pathway limited by your supervisor’s retirement plans, nor does it require a segue into running development operations. Prospect research has fundraising status.
In the competition for experienced prospect research staff, many researchers find themselves launched into a managerial position with zero managerial training or experience. Our industry association, Apra, has been providing more manager training content and other networking and learning experiences.
But the day to day of leading a team can be daunting. Maybe even a bit confusing as you try to figure out what your role means in relation to those you now lead.
You don’t have to jump eyeball deep into management training to implement some new tactics to help your team evolve. Listen in as Jenn Zeinner shares her experience in the talent development field and provides you with some easy to implement tips and ideas to improve your team performance and retention.
Resources Mentioned
- 5 Languages of Appreciation | Much like the 5 Languages of Love, this book and related content help you create a culture of appreciation that helps you retain and grow your employees
- Moodle | Open sourced learning management system (LMS)
- Trello | Asana | Project management software that has free options
- Increasing Retention Through Appreciation
