Personal Development Archives

Illustration of two smiling nonprofit executives on stage holding a large $165 million donation check with camera flashes and confetti, while a fundraiser sits alone in the foreground with his back to the camera, with an institutional coffee mug and expense receipt note on a nearby table.

Nonprofit Leadership

You Closed the Gift. They Canceled You Out.

A fundraiser closed a $165 million gift—and got no credit. The president took the spotlight, while the closer was quietly sidelined. This article explores the nonprofit sector’s discomfort with recognizing individual achievement, often justified as ethical restraint. It argues that this culture of erasure and reluctance to reward success may be fueling burnout and high turnover. The piece closes with a bold message: if you want transformational gifts, start acknowledging the people who actually secure them.

Viken Mikaelian May 24, 2025 No Comments

Goal Setting

How to Make Yourself Accountable to Yourself

You might be accountable to your boss at work, but are you accountable to yourself? Do you regularly let yourself down or fail to live up to the standards you’ve set for yourself? You’re not alone. Most people struggle to behave in a way that is congruent with their values and goals. Most people make plans that they never follow or set goals they never come close to achieving. This is a frustrating and ineffective way to live.

Viken Mikaelian December 13, 2024 No Comments

Personal Development

A Little Better Than Perfect 

Everybody makes mistakes. Give yourself a break. And don’t forget to keep your sense of humor.  Anyone who is mentally healthy doesn’t expect perfection in themselves or anyone else.

Viken Mikaelian November 20, 2024 No Comments

identifying your role as a nonprofit volunteer

Nonprofit Leadership

The Role of the Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator

No matter the size of a nonprofit organization, the role of its volunteer coordinator cannot be overlooked. As organizations continue to rely heavily on volunteerism as a means of raising funds, the nonprofit volunteer coordinator plays an essential part in the success of the organization.

Staff Member October 30, 2024 No Comments

Goal Setting

Overcoming Fear As A Major Gifts Officer

Is fear holding you back in your career? Overcoming fear as a major gifts officer can help you skyrocket your career and hit your fundraising targets.

Viken Mikaelian September 24, 2024 1 Comment

Personal Development

Workus Interruptus

Endless texts, tweets, emails, calls, chats, IMs, Facebook updates… A barely digested cacophony of overwhelmingly irrelevant mind-trash, all uncontrolled by you, all buzzing and vibrating and robbing you of the attention you need to get your work done.

Viken Mikaelian December 25, 2022 No Comments

Board Governance

Nonprofit Collaboration: The Foundation of Community Building

Nonprofit collaboration is foundational to increasing your potential donor pool, forging strong bonds with community pillars, and serving your own target population in unique and creative ways.

Viken Mikaelian June 27, 2022 No Comments