b'FEATURED ARTICLEThe impact of mentoring Henry also encouraged me to look beyond my immediate I was fortunate to benefit from the wisdom and guidancepreoccupations and not to get too caught up in the weeds of a mentor early in my career, and his advice still shapesof day to day tasks. For example, he prompted me to think my approach to Fundraising more then 20 years later.about my longer-term career plans, and encouraging me to write a book about my experiences as a Fundraiser (which Im afraid I have yet to do). He helped expand my I met Dr Henry Drucker when my university took him onnetwork within the sector, and even ended up offering my as a consultant to help establish its first professionalwife a job.Fundraising, Alumni relations and communications office. Formerly an academic, he became interestedA couple of decades later, I felt I had accumulated in development and went on to lead the University ofsufficient experience to be able to pay it forward by Oxfords first major Fundraising campaign, beforeserving as a mentor myself. Since taking on my role at founding his consultancy, Oxford Philanthropic. Queenwood School in Sydney, I have worked with three mentees through the Educate Plus programme, one each As a seasoned practitioner, Henry was full of useful tipsin Queensland, Victoria and NSW. Its definitely not a one-and always had a relevant anecdote to share, and afterway street: Ive learnt a great deal from my mentees, and all these years I still use his model for managing my majortheir questions keep me on my toes and ensure I have an gift portfolio. Henry took me to my first meeting with aextra thorough rationale for every decision I make for my potential major donor, and constructively fed back on allown school! the many things Id done wrong! I have yet to meet any of my mentees in person, despite Something that has always stuck with me was his beliefhaving previously assumed that face-to-face is essential that as a Fundraiser I would be providing a service toto create the depth of connection and openness of potential donors as much as I was to the charity I workedcommunication that a strong mentoring partnership for. His argument was that (i) philanthropists deriverequires. I really look forward to our online meetings, and great pleasure through the act of giving and (ii) I wouldconsider these to be an excellent investment of my time. be helping them connect with opportunities to give thatMentoring is good for us as individuals and good for our they might not have found by themselves.Initially I wassector, so I heartily recommend signing up on the Educate sceptical, but subsequently I have seen how right he was,Plus mentoring platform. time and time again.Educate Plus Mentoring Platform - free to all membersNOVEMBER 2021 57'