Many individuals entering the profession for the first time and those hiring their first development staff person are often not certain what qualities to look for in a development professional. Often one hears that development is just sales or marketing. The individual or organization about to embark into the world of development needs to understand that it is a profession.
Adherence to the Donor Bill of Rights is another step in assuring that the organization holds the donor’s interests above its own, and that you, the professional, hold the interests of the donor first, the organization second, and yourself last. So, although integrity might seem to be an inborn quality, it can be developed by understanding ethics, morals, and donors’ rights. Free White Paper on Fundraising Ethics – It is essential that all fundraising practitioners should develop an awareness of potential ethical conflicts and dilemmas.
Active listening is important to good donor relations. Listening for what the donor’s interests are is even more important than being able to persuasively explain the organization's case. Practice making “the ask” and truly listening to the donor through role playing with colleagues or by attending courses in making the ask.
The ability to motivate donors, volunteers and staff is a critical key for success. Learning the case for support and having passion for the mission of the organization for which one works, is the best way to successfully motivate another person to share that passion. There are many motivating factors that prompt an individual to contribute to a non-profit organization. Volunteers, likewise, can be motivated only if the volunteers and the fundraising staff share a passion for the mission of the organization.

Motivating the staff of the organization is also important. This starts with having respect and concern for other staff members. Staff members will be motivated by the good example set by the chief development officer. Involving staff in the development planning process is a good way to motivate them to help implement the plan.

Regular staff meetings that include an educational segment about some facet of fundraising and occasionally a motivational or inspirational guest speaker, in addition to staff updates on current projects, can help motivate staff to greatness.

One thing you need to understand going into this profession is that it is not a 9 to 5 job. meeting with volunteers, attending breakfast meetings, or just getting into the office early to organize your day before the phone calls and emails start arriving. Leave work at work, do not take it home or on vacation unless it is extremely critical. In some cases, it might be better to answer emails while on vacation rather than becoming stressed out by the sheer volume of email waiting at the office on your first day back at work.

But, as a true professional be careful to avoid thinking that you are indispensable and that you have to stay connected to the office at all times.
Loving this career often starts with volunteering in the area of development. If you do not enjoy volunteer fundraising, you probably won’t love it as a career. So if you are thinking about entering the profession, you may want to begin by volunteering to work on a special event, a phonathon, or a corporate appeal for a few nonprofits and see if you really do love fundraising. The same is true with development.

If you find a particular aspect of fundraising that really appeals to you, such as planned giving, major gifts, or grant writing, you should pursue that area. If you prefer being a generalist, you should look for a position as a development director in a small shop where you will get to do a variety of fundraising tasks. Finding your niche is critical to loving the work.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath