Listening for Major Gifts

Another Way of Listening from Cambridge University

In a recent article in Newsweek "The Geography of Personality" I read about the five dimensions of personality and how they vary geographically. Wow. What are the implications for major gifts fundraisers?

The 5 dimensions are:

• Extroversion
• Agreeableness
• Conscientiousness
• Neuroticism
• Openness to new ideas and experiences

These factors can be measured with questionnaires (click here to take the questionnaire yourself) — so far 132,000 people have taken the test online. I took the test and found it fascinating.

This research is being done by Jason Rentfrow of Cambridge University. In the Newsweek article, author Sharon Begley notes: "There is a geographic divide in openess with the Northeast and West Coast much higher than the Midwest and South. Extroversion is highest in the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southeast." More information will appear in an issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science.

These traits work globally as well (so if you're dealing with an international donor or someone from these areas, be sensitive). Robert McCrae of the National Institute on Aging has found German Swiss and Swedes to see themselves as superconscientious; russians as agreeable, Australians extroverted, and Japanesse introverted.

Permanent Link: Listening for Major Gifts

http://majorgiftsguru.com/2008/09/listening-for-major-gifts.html