Dealing with Criticism
Advancement Weekly Article Nearly everyone, at some point in their career, will receive hurtful criticism from a work colleague. When this happens, it's important to remember three things, says a management expert.

Major Gift Officer Portfolios & Reports
Sample Collection The CASE InfoCenter maintains this collection of documents about major gift officer portfolios, fundraising expectations and reporting. Please log in to access the collection.

Giving Employees More Recognition
Advancement Weekly Article More than half of workers aren’t satisfied with how much recognition they receive, according to a recent survey of jobseekers.

Really Doing More with Less
CURRENTS Article DePaul University made the unpopular decision several years ago to limit major gift officers' portfolios to 70 prospective donors. The new system, which included changes designed to improve accountability, forced the development office to prioritize the prospect pool more effectively. The department has seen increases in both the volume of gifts and amount raised.

Top Advice on Managing Difficult Conversations
Advancement Weekly Article Being a manager means having difficult conversations. An expert speaking at last week’s CASE Summit for Advancement Leaders offered some simple suggestions to help you successfully handle the next difficult conversation that comes your way, whether it involves conducting a negative performance review or addressing a conflict among employees.

Managing a Perfectionist
Advancement Weekly Article Perfectionism in an employee is more a flaw than an asset. But managing perfectionists isn’t impossible, say leadership experts who believe patience is key to unlocking their potential.

Study: Teleworking Less Popular, but No Less Effective
Advancement Weekly Article A new survey reports that the number of teleworkers in the United States decreased last year for the first time since 2003. Researchers say that heightened employee anxiety over job security has many afraid to work from home. Still, some leadership experts say that more face time doesn’t promote greater job security and that employers should continue to promote teleworking.

La palabra con B
CURRENTS Article Los bonos en la procuración de fondos son una táctica usada para atraer y retener a los que contribuyen de alguna manera a la institución, aunque de alguna forma son menos controversiales que antes, no todos creen en los bonos. ¿Cómo son los programas de bonos y cuáles son otras formas de motivar?

The B-Word
CURRENTS Article Fundraising bonuses are one tactic used to attract and retain those who contribute to the institution's bottom line, but while they are less controversial than they once were, not everyone is a believer. What do different bonus programs look like and what are other ways to motivate top talent?

Closing Remarks: Plan Overboard
CURRENTS Article The author describes executive teams in which some vice presidents not only withhold their support of the campus CEO and institutional planning privately but also have no compunction about doing so publicly. Such vice presidents won’t commit resources and expertise to institutional efforts and insist on revisiting agreed-upon plans about speed, direction, and destination. He asks why campus CEOs tolerate this behavior and suggests eight costs to the institution when it persists. Further, he suggests solutions for dealing with recalcitrant vice presidents.

Manager's Portfolio: Play Nice
CURRENTS Article Generational differences in the workplace create the potential for workplace conflict and confusion. Understanding the nuances of each generation's preferences can make giving and receiving feedback more pleasant and effective.

Manager's Portfolio: This Won't Hurt a Bit
CURRENTS Article Performance reviews provide opportunities to improve communication, set goals, provide motivation, discover talents, and uncover problems. Managers can minimize the stress of reviews by recognizing and counteracting the main sources of anxiety: concern about confrontation, lack of appropriate format, improper timing, inadequate preparation, and cursory reviews. Employees can help by insisting on knowing the grounds for evaluation and asking for an appropriate setting.

Manager's Portfolio: Out of Line Means Out of Time
CURRENTS Article Many managers are reluctant to confront a poor performer, but the problem becomes harder to solve the longer it goes unaddressed. A management consultant recommends this action program for getting difficult employees to shape up: 1) Confront the problem. 2) Establish open lines of communication. 3) Empower the employee to propose solutions. 4) Reinforce the message in a second meeting. 5) Craft an improvement plan. 6) Talk to human resources. 7) Resolve through probation and/or termination.