Dare to Dream Bigger for Your Organization’s Future
Do you need that extra push? If you’re a world-famous rock and roller like Nigel from Spinal Tap, you know sometimes you need your amp to go beyond the standard 10 — you need it to go to 11!
While we can’t promise louder guitar solos, we can promise that the 11 Steps to Build a Culture of Philanthropy are truly transformational. (If you haven’t seen the reference, check out this hilarious two-minute clip from the iconic mockumentary!)
Inspired by Nigel’s unbridled enthusiasm, we’ll dig into the 11 critical steps to build a Culture of Philanthropy — starting today with the first two:
Step 1: Throw Your Hat Over the Fence
What does it mean to throw your hat over the fence?
As Ryan Millar explains, it’s about committing fully — taking the first bold step that makes following through inevitable. When you throw your hat over, you promise yourself you won’t turn back.
In building a Culture of Philanthropy, throwing your hat over the fence means taking a stand:
- Committing to a bold, organization-wide transformation
- Embracing the unknown and stepping into the learner’s mindset
- Pursuing a breakthrough in financial resources and community impact
To start, imagine your organization through “alien eyes,” as Jen Sincero suggests in You Are a Badass.
Fly over your organization as if seeing it for the first time:
- What are you proud of?
- What would it look like fully thriving?
- What barriers would disappear if anything were possible?
- How could abundant resources change your community?
Write down your vision. Dream beyond limitations. Capture it clearly — in writing, a
video, or voice memo. Inspiration fuels commitment.
When your vision moves you — even to tears — you know you’ve thrown your hat over the fence.
Step 2: Find and Enroll a Committed Listener
Why do you need a Committed Listener?
To bring your bold vision into reality, you need someone who believes in it with you — and helps you stay the course.
A true Committed Listener is someone who:
- Trusts and champions you
- Holds you to your highest potential
- Engages fully and provides thoughtful feedback
- Understands and supports your vision
- Stays consistently attentive over time
- Acts as a sounding board and decision-making partner
How do you enroll a committed listener?
As Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander say, “Enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility for others to share…The practice of enrollment is about giving yourself as a possibility to others and being ready, in turn, to catch their spark. It is about playing together as partners in a field of light.”
Go to a trusted friend or colleague, share your vision, and invite them to partner with you. Ask for honesty, support, and clear communication — key elements for achieving high-functioning leadership and breakthrough results. (See Part VI inChoose Abundance for more.)
What’s Next?
The Volume Goes to 11: Steps 3 and 4 to Building Your Culture of Philanthropy
Coming soon: How to build a masterful task force that drives your vision forward.
