Major fundraising campaigns are complex undertakings. All present opportunities to capitalize on leadership and organizational strengths as well as weaknesses. It is a common problem. Everyone has too much to do. Sometimes days pass after a key appointment before you get to sit down and discuss the visit and the follow-up plan with the boss.
Volunteers can be even more difficult to pin down.
For one thing, most are not accustomed to telling a third party what went on at their lunch with Cousin Sally. Some volunteers feel repeating conversations is indiscreet, even though Cousin Sally knew that the purpose of the lunch was to discuss institutional needs and opportunities for her participation. Even the best development officers skip call reports. They feel they are too busy to add a note to the file. Some think as long as the results of the visit are safely locked in their brain, and therefore, are accessible, every thing is fine.