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Leading Up: Transformational Leadership for Fundraisers

ISBN: 978-0-471-75424-4

October 2005

192 pages

Description

Fundraising professionals must accomplish goals and meet expectations, and yet they also need to be creative in managing their programs because of the dynamic state of the profession. They have to get things done, but they need to exercise leadership from whatever rank or position they hold in order to motivate others. Leading without authority is not easy, but it is essential for the successful fundraising professional. Leading Up shows fundraisers how to develop and hone these vital leadership skills regardless of their job or position.

Real leadership has never been about authority, positional power, or dogmatic dictatorship. It’s about listening, valuing ideas, following advice, and bringing people together for a common goal and vision. Lilya Wagner, author and Vice President for Philanthropy at Counterpart International, explains how everyone in the fundraising profession can be—and must be—a leader. Filled with thought-provoking commentary, exercises, and practical applications to help readers apply the principles discussed and develop their leadership skills, Leading Up covers:

  • Desirable traits and characteristics for successfully leading up in the fundraising profession
  • A reality check on fundraisers’ roles and how to get the job done, and done well, while not being in charge
  • How to modify attitudes and actions to become a successful leader
  • The challenges fundraisers confront when working with volunteers, donors, colleagues, and others
  • Processes that move the organization toward its primary mission
  • “They” and “us”: the differences between those who have designated power and identified leadership status and those who can and will lead up
  • Lilya Wagner’s model for leading up
  • Concepts fundraisers must have to become leaders, including: leading for loyalty, leading for innovation, leading to build, emotional intelligence, ethical practice, and more
  • Tips to transform fundraisers and build their capabilities for meeting the challenges of leading up
  • Specific steps to help professionals become effective leaders

The time has come for all fundraisers to be leaders—for the benefit of the donor, the constituents, the organization, and themselves—and Leading Up leads the way.

About the Author

LILYA WAGNER, EdD, CFRE, is Vice President for Philanthropy at Counterpart International, based in Washington, D.C. Previously, she served at the Center on Philanthropy and The Fund Raising School at Indiana University, where she was also director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. She is a frequent workshop and seminar presenter and speaker. She speaks and writes extensively on many fundraising topics, and is the author of Careers in Fundraising (Wiley). She has frequently presented workshops on leadership skills for fundraisers, including at many conferences of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Features
  • Lilya Wagner is a well-known,  frequent workshop and seminar presenter and speaker. She speaks and writes extensively on many fundraising topics.
  • The book includes thought questions, exercises and practical application steps to allow the student to apply the principles discussed. 
  • There is an annotated bibliography of recommended readings.