How often do you really read a thank you letter you receive? Do you open it gladly, looking forward to the good feeling that comes when you’re thanked? Or is it just a tax receipt to go in your files? That thank you letter really ought to be more than a tax receipt. But while […]
How to write a thank you letter when you’re feeling stuck
You’ve been working hard on that last campaign. And now, you have new gifts! After the celebration, you begin to wonder. How can you write a thank you that works? Where do you start? Here’s my quick thank you letter how-to First, a confession: I used to write rote, boring, perfunctory thank you letters. And […]
Watch your weenie words
I call them weenie words. Hedges. Qualifiers. And I don’t like them. Now, I don’t think of myself as a bold person. As a kid, I was an eager follower, not the leader. I do more listening than talking, content to let someone else lead the conversation. I’m cautious. I don’t make fast decisions. But […]
How to make #GivingTuesday more than a gimme
Soon it will be #GivingTuesday. My inbox, and yours, will overflow with messages from every nonprofit we’ve had contact with in the past. Too many of the messages will be the same: Send us money, because… #GivingTuesday! Let’s remember what this day was meant to be: Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) […]
Is gratitude really hurting our sector?
Is gratitude really hurting our sector? Too much gratitude? A few weeks ago, my friend Vu Le posted another of his thought-provoking pieces, Is there such a thing as too much gratitude? Yes, and it’s been harmful to our work. I want to be clear: I mean both friend and thought-provoking with zero snark. I […]