Elements of a Healthy Culture
Advancement Offices are Turnover Plagued. But there is another way.
I don’t broadcast this very widely, but I’ve been laid off three times.
The first time was in 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as part of Tulane University’s mandatory reduction in force (RIF). OK, so maybe that doesn’t count.
The second time was when I served in my first Executive Director of Advancement role. My position was eliminated when the CEO who hired me quit and the organization’s Chief Financial Officer was appointed CEO. He immediately consolidated all fundraising management under a more senior colleague, making my position (to him anyway) redundant.
(Editor’s note: When the Board elevates a CFO with no fundraising experience to the corner office, polish up your resume…).
The next time I was laid off was 8 months into my next role when the organization’s new interim Senior Vice President of Advancement fired me, plus everybody I had brought into the organization: our Director of Planned Giving, Director of Major Gifts, and even my Assistant! What’s worse, he’d been appointed to that role six months after the organization’s CEO fired the person who hired me.
(Another editor’s note: The CEO had also fired the three prior SVPs of Advancement, so the continuation of a trend).
Funny story: the person who hired me (and the search firm leading the search) knew about his termination BEFORE I was offered the job…but didn’t tell me until two weeks after I started. Later, I learned that the organization was so toxic that it had a “Crying Room” for staff.
(I started my firm, Rootstock Philanthropy, the day after I was let go.)
I’m not writing this to recount the bumps along my career journey. But if you follow certain influencer types, some describe losing a job as the beginning of an incredible new journey full of rainbows, unicorns, personal fulfillment, and that ever-slippery character trait: resilience.
Some pundits make losing a job sound kinda glamourous. In a recent blog post, thought leader Arthur Brooks put it this way:
“(t)his experience is all too easy to frame as a humiliating defeat or evidence of failure. It's nothing of the sort if you can think of it this way instead: that your (job loss) pulled you out of a complacent reverie with unwelcome evidence that you were not actually in the right relationship…(t)hat realization is in fact your call to adventure, per Joseph Campbell. Now, confronted with this truth, you can embark on the second stage of your journey: learning to overcome emotional obstacles and getting stronger through your pain…The greatest stage lies ahead, when you will emerge triumphant—more secure, more emotionally intelligent, more self-knowing—ready to love again and be happier, on your own terms.” (emphasis added)
This is total hot garbage.
Being laid off sucks. It burns like the worst sunburn you’ve ever had while living with the worst stomach pain you’ve ever had, combined with losing a lot of money. It’s like a forced three-month bender at a roofless Chuck E. Cheese.
But advancement doesn’t have to be this way.
The last time I was - ahem - canned, I had started reading about “psychological safety” in the workplace. My Colby College classmate Mark Mortensen writes extensively about this topic, and one of his articles in Harvard Business Review is widely cited as the gold standard of the psychological safety movement.
However, after many talks with my fellow advancement colleagues, I learned that I wasn’t alone. M ore interestingly, my experience was FAR TOO similar to theirs. It seems that many—and sadly, most—advancement offices accelerate turnover of advancement staff when new leadership arrives (this is not how it works in finance or programs - just advancement).
I have some thoughts on this, but it boils down to this: Some incoming executives prioritize near-term optics and a sense of personal control over the health and well-being of their fundraising program.
Worse, the most insecure Advancement Leaders poach prospects in late-stage cultivation from staff they fire, close the gifts, and take full credit for the outcome. It’s gross, but it happens a lot.
Counterintuitively, creating a culture conducive to successful fundraising means building teams that intentionally reduce fundraiser turnover. This means that advancement leaders need to focus on their internal culture and prioritize things like psychological safety, clarity of purpose and expectations, and the adoption of an abundance mentality from day one.
Let’s explore how these principles can shape a thriving advancement office equipped to sustain and grow its mission over time.
1. Creating Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is essential in retaining fundraisers—where team members feel comfortable expressing ideas, asking questions, and admitting mistakes without fear of negative repercussions. Mark Mortensen at INSEAD has shown that this kind of trust is foundational for high-performing teams. Psychological safety is even more crucial in the advancement office, where fundraisers often face rejection, the weight of high expectations, and the pressure of donor relationships.
Creating this safe environment means advancement leaders must model openness and support vulnerability. Leaders who actively listen to feedback, encourage input on strategy and treat setbacks as learning opportunities build trust with their teams. Psychological safety enables fundraisers to share creative ideas, propose innovative solutions, and take calculated risks—knowing that a supportive team backs them. This environment fosters innovation and helps reduce turnover by giving fundraisers the confidence to grow and develop within their roles rather than feeling they must look elsewhere to thrive.
2. Clarity of Purpose and Expectations
High fundraiser turnover often results from unclear roles and expectations, where fundraisers aren’t sure how they’re contributing to the office’s larger goals or aren’t receiving guidance on how to succeed in their roles. Clarity of purpose ensures that each team member understands the “why” of their work—knowing exactly how their efforts align with the office’s mission. This clarity is a motivating force, providing fundraisers with a direct link between their activities and the institution’s broader impact.
Equally important is clarity of expectations. Fundraisers should know what success looks like in their role, with clear metrics, performance indicators, and pathways for growth. Advancement leaders can implement these by establishing well-defined roles, setting achievable goals, and holding regular check-ins for course correction and feedback. This way, fundraisers are equipped to meet (and exceed) expectations, with a strong sense of purpose guiding their efforts.
A clear purpose and well-defined expectations create alignment within the team, reducing the frustration and confusion that can lead fundraisers to seek other opportunities. By embedding these principles in the culture of the advancement office, leaders can increase retention, foster stronger team cohesion, and drive sustainable, mission-aligned fundraising success.
3. Adopting an Abundance Mentality
Advancement offices often operate in competitive environments, facing tight budgets and limited donor pools. But adopting an abundance mentality—a belief in plentiful resources and opportunities—can shift the way a team approaches these challenges. An abundance mentality inspires fundraisers to seek collaboration, expand their networks, and find creative ways to engage with potential donors rather than viewing them as limited assets.
For example, rather than focusing solely on major donors or immediate gifts, an abundance-minded advancement office might prioritize long-term donor engagement, building meaningful relationships that transcend transactional giving. This approach emphasizes stewarding relationships and creating a sense of community with donors, which can lead to a sustainable base of support. Leaders can foster an abundance mentality by encouraging fundraisers to see potential everywhere, valuing small victories as well as large ones, and exploring new partnerships with other departments or organizations.
An abundance mentality also reduces burnout by shifting focus from competition and scarcity to opportunity and collaboration. Fundraisers who feel they’re working in an environment that’s optimistic, expansive, and growth-oriented are less likely to leave, choosing instead to deepen their commitment to a thriving, supportive team.
Addressing Turnover in Advancement
Turnover remains one of the largest challenges in advancement offices. When fundraisers leave, institutions lose institutional knowledge, relationships are disrupted, and momentum is often lost, impacting overall fundraising performance. By focusing on psychological safety, clarity of purpose and expectations, and an abundance mentality, advancement leaders can build a culture that not only attracts talent but also retains it, creating stability that fuels long-term success.
With these three pillars as the foundation, a modern advancement office can transform into a thriving environment where fundraisers feel valued, supported, and motivated. In doing so, advancement leaders will not only reduce turnover but will create a team culture that propels sustainable fundraising success, ensuring the institution’s mission is fulfilled for years to come.
What do you think?