By Adele Mezher,
Co-founder & managing partner, Pearl Street;
SVP & Managing Director, Lindauer
How do you interview executive-level candidates? Please describe your process, including how you identify strengths or red flags.
When I interview senior leaders, I’m not just assessing experience — I’m trying to understand the person behind it. I’m listening for how someone approaches people, pressure, conflict, and change, because those are the conditions that shape a professional’s impact. I ask questions that give candidates room to reflect and tell stories about judgment and learning. The best leaders don’t just describe what they achieved; they can connect it to purpose, explain the “how,” and name what it required of them and others. Strengths that stand out to me are curiosity, humility, and an authentic confidence that comes from having truly done the work.
From there, red flags aren’t usually a single moment; they show up as patterns. When answers are vague or overly rehearsed, it can signal a lack of clarity or depth. I pay close attention not just to what’s said, but what’s missing. And often, what initially looks like a red flag evolves after a few follow-up questions, because people process and respond to these prompts differently, and it’s my job to learn what’s underneath the first answer. I also pay attention to whether people can share credit, share lessons learned, and speak concretely about the role others played. Those cues tell me a lot about how a candidate will lead when the work is hard and the outcomes aren’t guaranteed.
What one thing could the fundraising industry do to reduce turnover and strengthen leadership retention?
I believe the sector has an opportunity to treat development leaders as strategic partners, not as revenue generators. Too often, fundraisers are measured by short-term metrics without being given access, authority, or time to build the relationships and internal alignment that make long-term success possible. Retention improves when advancement leadership invests in a strong internal culture of collaboration where fundraisers see their work as part of the overarching strategy, when they are part of decision-making, have clarity of expectations, and see pathways for growth and professional development.
This includes building roles that are sustainable. When fundraising leadership is expected to be always on — traveling, evening and weekend events, and carrying the emotional weight of outcomes without adequate staffing or partnership — burnout becomes inevitable. Strong retention comes from realistic goals, shared accountability across the institution, and a culture that values long-term relationship building over constant urgency. When fundraising leadership is supported with adequate staffing and engaged as strategic partners, organizations can mitigate burnout and retain talented teams for long-term impact.
