By David A. Mersky I spend a great deal of time thinking about and helping organizations increase their fundraising results. By achieving ever greater results and revenue, they can expand their mission and fulfill their vision. But, much has changed during my career, especially… [Read more…]
By David A. Mersky We live in a world where technical skills, industry knowledge, and relevant experience are no longer enough to define the perfect hire. These matter, of course. But they are not as important as how well a new employee fits within your… [Read more…]
By David A. Mersky Every prospective hire for your organization, at every level, will be interviewed before an offer is extended. The number and type(s) of interviews will vary depending on the position in question, but however they occur, interviews are the essential step… [Read more…]
Are you not able to hire staff because you can’t… Find the right candidate? Searching for the ideal employee is like selling a house — you don’t need hundreds of people to come through, you just need the right person to walk in… [Read more…]
Fundraisers talk a lot about donor retention. But, what about employee retention and how it impacts donors? Many nonprofits have a revolving door of development professionals. The average tenure of a fundraiser is less than 2 years. And the donor pays the price.… [Read more…]
In many nonprofits, there is not a clear divide between board and staff responsibilities. Then you add in long-term volunteers, founders, and advisory boards and things get even muddier. Who should have the final say on a decision? And, should you have that… [Read more…]
This past year, 3 associates at Mersky, Jaffe & Associates provided interim Development Professionals placement, as Interim Executive/Fractional Employees, for clients. The impact varied, as did the amount of time each associate spent with the organization, but each helped the nonprofit move forward… [Read more…]
by David A. Mersky Emergency leadership transition management has been on my mind ever since the tragic, untimely death last month of Rabbi Aaron D. Panken, Ph.D., z”l, may his memory be for a blessing, the 12th president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute… [Read more…]
Quick question: If you are starting a new job and you want to start going to the gym again do you: Wait until you settle in, then figure out how gym time can fit into your schedule Start hitting the gym the first… [Read more…]
I just read an interesting piece in the New York Times, “When Being Unproductive Saves a Career.” It focused on how a sabbatical could revitalize your nonprofit, among the highlights were the twenty years of data to prove: Sabbaticals help retain staff (“One… [Read more…]