From Fundraiser to Manager: Stepping Up Successfully

I learned the hard way and made a lot of mistakes during my first management roles. I didn’t have any formal training on management; overseeing a team came with my first fundraising position. I might have been good at managing a project and making the tough decisions, but understanding how to build and motivate a team and coach them through difficulties was something I had to learn. Lucky for me, one of my direct reports had the courage to tell me how much I was failing. Not all young managers were as lucky as me.

Here’s how I wish I had learned to manage well. I wish I had taken a management course and learned the practical skills required. I wish I learned how to motivate and coach effectively.