Spend More to Train Charity Fund Raisers

To the Editor:

I was struck by the totally opposite perspective expressed between two articles I read in succession: “Revolving-Door Dilemma,” by Elizabeth Schwinn and Meg Sommerfeld (April 18), and “Container Store’s Workers Huddle Up to Help You Out,” which appeared in USA Today on April 29.

The constant complaints about the time, effort, and unproductivity of mentoring in “Revolving-Door Dilemma” clashes with the mentoring requirement of the Container Store, which has for the past three years been ranked among the top companies to work for by Fortune magazine.

While the vision of a retail store versus a charity may be vastly different, our common goal of increased revenue per customer or donor are similar. How many development operations require 235 hours of training the first year and 162 hours each year thereafter? An investment of time, talent, and financial resources really pays off in consistent, predictable, and satisfied customers or donors.

There is a loud wake-up call and lesson here for our nonmentor colleagues.

James E. Connell
Principal
James E. Connell & Associates
Enola, Pa.