What Could Go Wrong? Common Cultural Challenges on Donor Trips: Visitor Edition
Few organizations anticipate cross-cultural challenges on their donor trips, but almost all are likely to encounter them. Here I explain the most common cross-cultural challenges involved in donor trips and what to do to avoid them. Even the smoothest of donor and volunteer trips are not without their share of challenges. There are a number […]
Cultural Dilemma: How Much Do We Really Have to Adapt?
As someone who has spent the last decade helping people work effectively across cultures, I often get asked, “How much do we really have to adapt to other peoples’ cultural differences?” Do we really need to ask about the weather before we can talk business? Do we really have to refrain from showing strong emotions […]
Respect and Dignity are Not Good Enough: A Common Pitfall in Ethical Communications
If your Ethical Fundraising Guidelines rely on words like “Dignity” and “Respect” to inform behavior and practice, chances are you’re not accomplishing very much. When I read through guidelines for ethical storytelling or ethical photography and come across the phrases like “we believe in treating everyone with respect,” I’m inclined to ask three questions: What is considered […]
5 Tips to Collect Real Feedback
When portraying people who have benefitted from the work of our organizations, it’s important that they have a meaningful voice in their portrayal. Collecting their feedback is one of the only ways we can be sure to treat others the way they want to be treated. But we don’t know how they want to be […]
6 Things to Include in Your Pre-departure Guidebook
Before our donors and volunteers depart on trips with our organization, it is important to adequately prepare them. Doing so mitigates potential risks and increases the likelihood of a positive experience. I used to think that handing out lengthy guidebooks was essential to preparing our visitors. Many of them will also do their own research, […]