Good People, Missing Support: Why Fractional Leadership Works

Most organizations I meet already have good people. The marketing coordinator who stays late to finish the newsletter. The development officer juggling three campaigns and a database nobody fully understands. The executive director or owner who signs off on all of it while running everything else.

They’re capable, committed and working hard. What’s missing is the support to set them up for success.

The experience gap

Board members, executives and owners are good people too. But fundraising and marketing are specialized disciplines, and most leaders come to them from somewhere else – finance, operations, programs, sales, the founding idea itself. So when it’s time to decide on a campaign, a budget or a hire, even the best leaders can be making calls without the experience to back them.

That gap usually gets filled in one of two ways.

Option one: hire a full-time director

A seasoned director or C-suite marketing or fundraising lead brings real expertise. For many small and mid-sized organizations, though, the role only needs about a day or a day and a half a week of senior, strategic work. The rest is hands-on delivery – writing, scheduling, reporting, calling.

That mismatch frustrates everyone. The senior hire wants to focus on strategy. The organization needs them doing the work. And the budget is carrying a full-time executive salary for part-time executive work.

Option two: hire junior or mid-career people

Eager, talented people at earlier stages in their careers bring energy and fresh ideas. Without experienced support, though, they often feel lost within weeks. They aren’t sure how the work should be done, what good looks like or how to measure it. They work hard and still feel like they’re falling behind.

That isn’t a talent problem. It’s a support problem.

A third option: fractional leadership

A fractional leader brings senior experience for a set number of hours, and spends those hours making your team better at the work they already do. Your people stay focused on delivering great work and growing in their roles. You get strategy, structure and coaching sized to what the organization needs.

Here’s how I work as a fractional lead:

1. Always reachable. Team members can reach me daily by text, email or phone. A quick question shouldn’t wait a week.
2. Weekly with the team. I meet each week with the people doing the work – to plan, solve problems and keep momentum.
3. Every two to four weeks with leadership. I meet with executives, owners or board leads on a regular rhythm, and sooner when something pressing comes up.
4. Clear from day one. When we begin, I set clear expectations, agree on how we’ll measure success and put shared tracking tools in place so everyone can see what’s happening.
5. Automated where it helps. I use automations to keep tasks, updates and reporting clear and consistent, so less falls through the cracks and more time goes to the work itself.
6. Goals for every person. Together, we set goals for each team member I support, and I help each of them reach those goals.

Sometimes a role and a person aren’t the right fit. When that happens, I help that person move on with care and dignity, so that they and the team can each find success.

What it makes possible

Your team gains a guide who knows how the work gets done. Your leaders gain the clarity to make confident decisions about marketing and fundraising. And your budget carries senior expertise in proportion to what the organization actually needs.

This works for businesses, charities and social enterprises alike. Good people do their best work when someone has their back.

Try this

List everyone on your team who touches marketing or fundraising. Next to each name, write one question they’ve been stuck on this month. If the list fills up fast, your people are ready for more support.

Be well.