Last Look: Gerry Brisson, vice president for development, Gleaners

For many years, the average tenure on the job for fundraisers has been 18 months — yet we know that it takes a minimum of three to five years to be most effective. I think we all need to ask ourselves the following: Why do we take jobs that we can’t do? Are we committed enough to the missions of the organizations we work for? Do we research an organization’s effectiveness before we accept a position? Are we honest with prospective employers about what we can — and can’t — do? Or are we just chasing bigger salaries? Our responsibility to the profession is the basis of our public trust — the most important aspect of our work. I think we need to find an answer to the issue of tenure or [we] face eroding confidence in our ability to succeed.