The document discusses innovation in donor relations programs. It defines innovation as challenging conventional wisdom and not just coming up with new ideas. There are four aspects of innovation: drivers, strategies, implementation, and assessment. The document provides steps for successful innovation, including risk/benefit analysis and addressing fears of change. It suggests celebrating failures as learning opportunities. Overall, the document advocates embracing innovation to better serve donors in new ways.

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Dancing on the Edge: Pushing
the Limits of Innovation in Your
Program
Lynne M. Wester
Yeshiva University

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Road Map to the Edge:
• Innovation’s Meaning and
Importance
• Aspects of Innovation
• Steps for Success
• Don’t be Afraid
• How Does Innovation apply to
Donor Relations
• Key Take Aways

3. What does Innovation mean
to me?
• "Innovation is the only sustainable
competitive advantage" says Philip
Kotler
• We innovate not for the sake of being
different but because it challenges us to
move forward and shed the old guards
of the past while challenging
conventional wisdom.
• We’ve always done it that way is no
longer acceptable!
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4. 4 Aspects of Innovation
• innovation driver
• innovation strategy
• innovation implementation
• Assessment
• Good Ideas that Work!
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5. Making it Possible
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6. Salient Points
• More than just an idea
• Communication and strategy
• Creativity + Implementation =
Innovation
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7. Steps For Success
• In the event the implementation
does not go to plan, what is your
escape plan?
• Risk vs Benefit Analysis
– Sounds fancy huh?
– Stumbling Blocks
– People and Cheerleaders
– What milestones should there be in the
development of this idea?
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8. Fear is innovation's mortal
enemy
• Ego – I won’t support an idea that I
didn’t come up with.
• Politics – We will look bad since this is
our area of responsibility.
• Security — I’ve worked hard to get
where I’m at and this is risky. I could
loose everything.
• Success/Change – We are doing great
with what we have. Why would we
want to change?
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9. How to Lessen Fear:
• Follow the law of feedback: This states there
is no failure, only feedback. Successful people
look at failure as an "event," an opportunity to
embrace learning in the process of success.
• Encourage and reward autonomy: Honor
ideas that challenge accepted norms and
objectives.
• Support creative experiments: Encourage
all brainstorming and input that serves the
mission of the organization.
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10. Failure = F+
• Failure is inevitable and Should be
Celebrated!
• The ROI of ROF
• Scott Cook's advice - "for every failure
we had we had spreadsheets that
looked awesome."
• Will people really die if you reformat the
way you send out an email?
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11. Innovation and Donor
Relations
• Is there a better way to do this?
• What are some ways that we can
better serve our donors?
• What is someone else doing that
we’re not?
• Is there an app for that?
• Making Innovation a Priority
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12. Ideas to Inspire
• Endowment Reports
• Event Printing
• Engaging Young Alumni
• Reaching Your Students
• Digital Communications
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13. Questions? Comments?
• Lynne Wester
• wester@yu.edu
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• Friend me on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter @donorguru
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