Most of all, I miss the dancing. Ursus, a keeshond/chow mix who died about a year ago was my best-perhaps my only-dancing partner. I am a woman with not a shred of rhythm in my body. Ursus, unlike my husband whose laughter prevents him from joining me, didn't care if my movements weren't to beat. He would bounce alongside me, happy in the movement, the music, and I think, me. He loved to dance, just as he loved to eat, to be petted, to...well just about everything seemed to make him happy.

   In turn, he made me happy. I loved his lack of judgment. Whatever you did was fine. Whatever he had was good. I also loved his tenacity. He would see something he wanted and he would go for it. If it eluded him, he didn't-like my other dogs or so many of us-sigh with frustration and lie down. He would simply look around for something else to want; something different to pursue.

   I see that I am in danger of anthropomorphizing Ursus. He was a dog and who knows, really, what emotions he was feeling. Still, it seemed that way to me and it helped me to shape a better a attitude.

   Attitude is something I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about. I coach my clients on how it shapes their fundraising and contributes to their success (or, conversely to their lack of success). Today I'm thinking of a slightly different type of attitude. The one that doesn't allow you to try something new or to concede that, perhaps, there is another way to do things.

   Because this is the time when many organizations get their end-of-the-year appeals out, I spent a lot of time working with clients on those appeals, and on the lists to whom those appeals would be sent. With clients whose past experiences have been less than stellar, I tried to convince them to try a new approach. Instead of the glossy brochure that brought in small returns, let's look at a personal letter. When formal letters from the CEO or Board President weren't so hot, I suggested a really personal ask from a peer of those being asked. If "please give" didn't get the response hoped for how about "please give a specific amount"?

   What surprised me more than it should have was how many of my clients kept going back to, "But that's not how we've been doing this." And even when their response to my query: "And how has that been working for you?" was a "not so well," they still couldn't seem to move from their tried and true position.

   New is not always better-but clinging to the old never is the best approach. Make sure that you look at what you are doing and carefully assess its impact. If it is working, if it appears to still be the best way to approach whatever it is you are doing, make the decision to stay the course. But don't keep waling on the same path because it is what you do. There may be other paths; ones that are better maintained, more direct, or more scenic. Dare to do something different.

And mainly....dare to dance

• Are your fundraising results down?
•  Board members bored?  
• Are you thinking about a campaign? 
• Or perhaps you need individual fundraising coaching!

Whatever your capacity building needs, Janet Levine Consulting can help.

email or give me a call at 310-990-9151