Why You May Need a New Job Title

Have you ever heard the tale of the three stone cutters?

Asked about their job, the first says he’s a stone cutter, plain and simple. The second proudly declares himself a master stonemason. The third humbly calls himself a builder of cathedrals.

There’s a lesson here for 21st-century philanthropy professionals and anyone working in today’s advancement or development space.

A Brave New Job

I recently gave a keynote at a national conference for academic event professionals themed “Brave New World.” What a fitting description of what we are all facing today.

Event planners know this better than most: the very definition of an event now includes “virtual” and “hybrid” flavors and comes with myriad logistical layers that didn’t exist in 2019.

This new world requires more of us than new solutions and approaches. It requires nothing less than reimagining our roles and work in philanthropy, fundraising, and engagement. And the stakes couldn't be higher.

Despite record U.S. charitable giving in 2020, today’s philanthropy is nearing a crisis. The number of donations during the first half of the year was down compared to last amid concerns about inflation and growing fears of a recession. 

Couple that with turnover, burnout, and hiring woes from the “Great Resignation” or “Great Reset,” and you’ve got a brewing storm for advancement and development shops. 

When there are five openings for every qualified development applicant, the message to our industry is clear: our old ways aren't working. It’s time we change that.

Facilitating Dreams

I first heard the term “dream facilitator” in a talk earlier this year at a CASE summit for advancement leaders from creative director and storyteller Ritesh Gupta and immediately saw the value of embracing this term to reframe the roles of philanthropy professionals.

Because what we do is so much more than raise money or plan events; we facilitate dreams.

When you think about yourself as a “dream facilitator” it makes you reconsider the value of what you do, and more importantly, the impact it has on the people around you.

And when we think about our value differently, we discover new ways to work that unleash incredible potential and the creativity necessary to prosper in our “brave new world.”

As one of my former colleagues used to say, “People can’t be what they can’t see.”

So, I challenge you to be inspired by the mission of the organization you serve and to think about your role differently.

Because like our cathedral builder, you do so much more than cut stones. You are the heart and soul of a mission with a purpose that’s much bigger than yourself.

You build communities that transform lives! You make peoples’ dreams come true!

When you think about yourself as a “dream facilitator” it makes you reconsider the value of what you do, and more importantly, the impact it has on the people around you.