Brian Lally

Published:  05/05/2026

Great development work aligns purpose and creates meaning. It builds a bridge between vision and generosity. However, the question is not how to cross that bridge, but what supports it. 

After forty-two years in healthcare philanthropy, twenty-six as Chief Development Officer, I can say the answer is not tactics or campaigns. It is structure: culture, integrity, vision, courage, and talent. When those align, philanthropy becomes transformational.  

Peter Drucker, famous economist and author, said “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”  

Experience has taught me the truth about that statement. Culture — shared values and beliefs that drive behavior — determines whether strategy survives when in contact with reality. 

In February 2020, we were deep into a complex $1 billion campaign at Northwell Health. One month later, the world shifted. COVID-19 introduced fear and uncertainty on a scale none of us had experienced. 

The Northwell response was immediate. Leaders led. Culture drove us. 

We saw what our frontline colleagues were facing, and every one of the 125 strong Foundation team knew to act. We did not retreat. We accelerated. 

Overnight, we reimagined events, annual fund, principal and major gifts, operations, communications. The result? Record-breaking giving during one of the most destabilizing periods in modern healthcare. And quickly, we pivoted back to the broader campaign, reaching our goal six months early. 

You cannot fake culture. The team knows it, donors sense it. When you face your next disruption, will you retreat or advance? Culture is not etched on a wall. It is the force that determines the answer to that question.  

Integrity comes in bringing your whole self, and the same self, every time.

I have worked with great leaders and merely competent ones. The difference between them wasn’t intelligence or charisma. It was steadiness. Teams knew who was walking into the room each day. No performative optimism. No emotional volatility. No shifting values under pressure. 

I learned this the hard way. Early in my career, I adopted the cautious style of my supervisor. In my first CDO role, I projected confidence that, in retrospect, bordered on arrogance. Both were performances. Teams sensed it at once.  

When I recognized it, I really felt the disconnect between how I showed up and what the team needed. I was humbled. But it was a relief to discover that the best outcomes came when I was my true self. I was clear in my values, steady in my tone, and consistent in my purpose. 

Authenticity is not about personality style. It’s about consistency of character and staying true to your principles – every day. 

Confusion at the top creates hesitation in the middle and caution at the front line. Caution does not inspire giving. When leaders show up consistently, grounded in values and clarity, we create psychological safety. Performance improves. Intelligent risk-taking becomes possible. Measurable results follow. 

People need a vision. That includes both donors and teams alike. We want to be part of something larger than ourselves. Vision is not a slogan. It is an articulation of where the institution intends to go and why it matters, and our daily work connects to something more significant than the next quarterly goal.  

The more ambitious the vision, the more it clarifies strategy. You cannot get there with a map alone — no matter how sophisticated your GPS is. 

Great teams align bold vision with disciplined execution.  

Ask yourself this: In 30 seconds, can your junior team members explain where the organization is going? If not, you need alignment. When vision is timid, strategy shrinks. When vision is expansive, strategy rises to meet it. 

You must take risks. 

The larger your role, the more public your failures. That goes with the job. Avoiding risk may help avoid embarrassment and create an illusion of safety in the short term. However, it guarantees mediocrity in the long term. 

At Northwell, we invested significant resources into planning around our most ambitious prospects, with no guaranteed outcomes. Looking back, some of those decisions were risky — even ill-advised. Not all succeeded. But many did. And others evolved into better opportunities because we were willing to take risks. 

Yes, taking chances might lead to failure, which has consequences. But so does timidity. In healthcare philanthropy, people’s lives and research breakthroughs depend on resources. Small thinking carries high cost. 

We speak about prospect pools, artificial intelligence, governance, and endowment growth. They all matter, but our most undervalued asset is the team entrusted to deliver results. 

You should be hiring for courage, not just experience. The strongest gift officers combine skill with resilience, curiosity, and conviction. When you have exceptional talent, harness it through respect, clarity of purpose, honest communication, and a commitment to professional growth.  

Be sure to address mediocrity. The issue is not merely individual underperformance. The problem is that mediocrity lowers the bar for everyone. High performers will not remain where accountability is selective. 

Talent is the true endowment. Without it, culture erodes and strategy stalls. 

We work with people dedicating their lives to others. They trust us to represent them faithfully. Donors trust us to steward their generosity responsibly. Boards trust us to align resources with mission. 

Fundraising is about raising money. We are paid to do so effectively and consistently. That’s professional reality. 

But money is not the ultimate measure. Impact is.  

After forty-two years, this is what I have learned above all: sustainable success rests on trust. 

Trust in culture.  

Trust in strategy.  

Trust in the talent.  

Trust in the leader. 

The team knows when trust exists. The organization feels it. Donors respond to it. With trust, institutions move with confidence, teams take intelligent risks, and donors invest boldly. 

Sure, we can look at the feat of crossing the bridge, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that they hold because the structure is sound. High performing development programs are no different. 

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