When Nelson Mandela was in prison (for 27 years!) he studied the language of the Afrikaner people who put him in prison.
Mandela shared that “the way to understand people is speak and understand their language.”
Mandela credited his understanding the Afrikaans language with his ability to establish good relationships first with the prison wardens, and later with the Afrikaners who ran South Africa.
Mandela understood the language of the Afrikaners, spoke the language of the Afrikaners, yet advocated for his people.
The same principle is true for highly effective Fundraisers: they understand the language of their donors, speak the language of their donors, yet advocate for the organization’s beneficiaries or cause.
Any time you’re responsible for bridging a gap – whether it’s between different races or between nonprofits and donors – the bridge is more likely to get built if you understand and use the language of the person you’re trying to build it with.
