When I'm working with group of board members or other volunteers, I often begin with an exercise. I ask people to take a blank piece of paper and draw a vertical line down the center of the page. On one side, I tell them to write a plus sign (+) and on the other, a minus sign (-). "Under the plus sign," I say, "write anything about you - your skills, your beliefs, your experience, your attitude - that's going to help you to be an effective fundraiser. I'm not asking about your organization, I'm asking about you - your personal qualities. Under the minus sign, write anything about you - your fears, your discomfort, your lack of experience, whatever - that's going to get in the way of you being successful. What are your barriers?"

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