The word business can often carry with it a negative connotation. Businesses are sometimes thought of as an impersonal, cold entity, seeking only the bottom line at the expense of human relationships. While there are undoubtedly some businesses that fit that description, successful businesses are nothing like that depiction. In fact, the best run organizations put people at the forefront of their mission, realizing that achieving the objectives and goals set forth means successfully balancing product and personnel.
The effective phonathon manager runs their program like a business. They understand that high rates of productivity and efficiency are the outcomes of thoughtful planning and strategic analysis conducted many months prior to the end of the calendar or fiscal year. They know the value of intangible qualities like leadership, motivation, and integrity, while at the same time appreciating the necessity of tangible factors such as knowledge, effort, and analysis. Managers who believe that achieving objectives and goals have less to do with luck and more to do with skill and foresight are infinitely more prepared to succeed.
