Presenter: Jessie Pridie, MA, Gift Planning Administrator, Mayo Clinic

"The gift of our attention and understanding makes other people feel validated and valued. Our ability to listen, and listen well, creates goodwill that comes back to us." (The Lost Art of Listening, Michael P. Nichols)

Listening has been referred to as a lost art. While we spend an average of 45 percent of our time listening, it is estimated that less than 5% of the worlds' population has been trained in listening.

The good news is that listening, like any other skill, can be learned and improved through deliberate instruction and practice. In the fundraising profession, especially gift planning, it is our job to draw out our donor's stories, passions, dreams and financial capabilities. It can be argued that we do this not by crafting the perfect questions, but by listening.

In this session, Jessie Pridie will share what she has learned about using active and thoughtful listening to assist donors in clarifying their own thoughts, ideas and interests about the organizations they care about and their own philanthropy. Mrs. Pridie will offer concrete ideas for how to practice listening and implement the skills at in the field, in the office, and even at home. She will also touch on how to handle distractions, how to stay engaged in the conversation, how to improve your retention, how to hear more than just the words, and even how to find joy in listening and connecting with our donors, clients, and peers.

Sponsored by: Rick Kress, Kress Consulting

Approved for 1.0 CFRE CE Credits