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Executive Coaching, Professional Development, Training, and Career Advancement for Nonprofit Leaders in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

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What is a “Personal Board of Directors?”

January 20, 2021 by Paul Nazareth

board room table with brown leather chairsMentorship is an evergreen topic of discussion amongst leaders and those aspiring to it. Wonderfully, today the conversation continues to evolve to intersect with issues of equity, diversity and inclusion to unpack the need for not just formal mentorship, but sponsorship and organizational responsibility.

But for many who work either alone, freelance or are just not supported at work, this is a journey they must take personal responsibility for. I firmly believe that in fact, any professional who cares deeply about their career needs to cultivate a healthy “third space” outside of work and home life. A professional sphere where they are not defined by their job title or technical capabilities. For me, a new world was opened up when I read the work of Dorie Clark pushing past the scarcity of the “gig economy” and instead proposing that we are all consultants now ( since hey, who will have a job for life any more ) and we hold “portfolio careers”.

On top of this concept that we will be flexible in our work space and the work we do over a lifetime of work, is the idea that we need to be creative and flexible in the mentors we seek too.

Yes, mentors with an “s”. You need multiple, and in fact when I’ve supported peers to really sit down and think about it, we all have several but it’s not a thought out process. And there’s nothing more dangerous than a mentor you didn’t choose. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: career

Fundraising & Career Strategy: The Benefits of Playing the Long Game

September 7, 2019 by Paul Nazareth

We live in a world of “Insta”, that is constantly playing the short game.

Fundraising has suffered from a transactional, derivative and acquisition mindset forever. We are haunted by our bake-sale origins.

Being almost 20 years in the charitable sector I have become a career-anthropologist. Observing the careers and strategies of leaders and organizations I admire. It’s what leads me personally on my own career path to specialize in ‘gift-planning’ while most of the sector is always trying to maximize major gifts. Now in 2019, they are one in the same. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: career

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Recent Posts

  • Diversifying Your Personal Brand
  • Rest and Renewal is Part of the Work Too
  • What is a “Personal Board of Directors?”
  • Collecting Courage: Traversing the whiteness of the philanthropic sector as Black fundraisers
  • Community Reflections on 2020

RSS Recent Podcasts

  • Episode 76: Diversifying Your Personal Brand with Meena Das
  • Episode 75: Leaders Need Rest for Success with Amy Varga
  • Episode 74: Build Your Career with a Personal Board of Directors with Paul Nazareth
  • Episode 73: Collecting Courage: Traversing the whiteness of the philanthropic sector as Black fundraisers
  • Episode 72: Reflections on Coaching in 2020
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