What if everyone was 10 per cent better at their job? Professional development is something that fundraisers have to take on as a personal responsibility, says Liz Tait.

A director of fundraising once said to me: “You get two senior fundraisers in a room and before long you are talking about people.” Sound familiar? People – short and simple – are the most important tool in our fundraising toolkit. Individual fundraisers can make all the difference to the success of a fundraising team and, in turn, the success of a charity. That means each and every one of us. We can make the difference between raising tens of thousands or millions of pounds.

So as individual fundraisers don’t we have an individual responsibility to the organisations we work for – and the sector as a whole – to raise our game and the standards we aspire to? What difference would it make to good causes if we were all just 10 per cent better at what we do?

When we’re caught up in the whirlwind of our everyday worlds it can be a struggle to find time to think about our own personal development. There’s always so much to do and so much more money out there to be raised. Yet there’s also so much more to learn and so much we could be doing better or differently.

So how do we take control of our own professional development and develop ourselves and our skills to enable us to become more wellrounded and successful fundraisers? As fundraisers we critically evaluate the world around us and regularly look for new ways to solve problems, usually asking ‘How do I make this better and more profitable for my charity?’ But all too often we forget to think about how to better ourselves.

If we develop ourselves and take every opportunity to learn – to have new experiences, to learn new skills and to push ourselves out of our comfort zone – then we will undoubtedly raise more for the causes we’re passionate about. The better we are the more money we’ll raise. In my view it’s a simple formula and I have some suggestions about how we can all get going.

Take control. Fundraisers have got to take personal responsibility for our own development. Don’t look to others to do this for us – that is a crucial first step. It’s important to seek feedback to help you identify how to strengthen your skills. By undertaking a 360° exercise you can determine what you’re doing well, where you could be doing better and if you have any ‘blind spots’. Will strengthen your own skills and performance. Also seek advice. Asking for advice from other fundraisers is key. We are all generous with our time, so we can learn from mentors and buddies both within our organisations and across the sector. We also need to give our time generously to others in equal measure.

Make a plan. Be clear about where you want to go, what you want to achieve and how you’re going to address your development areas. If you are, you can then put a plan of action in place. And make time too. Take the time to plan your development and set time aside to focus on development activities. Put that plan into action.

Keep track of how you are going. Keep a record of your development activities and create reflection opportunities to consolidate what you have learned.

Say yes. Volunteer for everything out there, in your charities and in the wider sector. New experiences make us stronger and we’re bound to gain understanding and contacts along the way.

Aim for continuous improvement. Always ask: ‘What can I do tomorrow that will make me a better fundraiser than I am today?’ And do this every day.

We’re privileged to work in one of the most rewarding professions there is, so let’s lead the way and take personal responsibility for developing ourselves and the wonderful sector in which we work.