Upstairs, Downstairs - Social Class and the Prospect Researcher

As prospect researchers, we are students of wealth and the wealthy. Although it is hard to divorce a discussion of wealth from a discussion of social class, talking about social class in the U.S. is somewhat discouraged. Bringing up class issues at work is especially verboten.

The issue of social class is unavoidable in the field of fundraising, especially in prospect research. In addition to understanding issues of social class, we may find ourselves interacting on a daily basis with donors, volunteers, trustees, or colleagues whose backgrounds are very different than our own.

So I found myself intrigued by an article in the June 10th New York Times about Ruby Payne, the "Class Consciousness Raiser." Most of Payne's work has centered on how understanding social class aids teachers in helping poor students learn. (Her work has on occasion been criticized for being unscientific, insensitive or elitist).

After reading the article, I ordered a copy of "Hidden Rules of Class at Work,"by Payne and co-researcher Don L. Krabill. While the book is of the self-help genre (aimed at employees and supervisors), rather than a serious scholarly work, I found some of the ideas valuable. Payne's main argument is that folks from different social classes operate on different assumptions, and that without understanding these assumptions, one is likely to be misunderstood in communicating with a member of a different social class. Some examples:

Family structure: In poverty, tends to be matriarchal; in the middle class, tends to be patriarchal; in wealth, depends on who has the money. Obviously, in figuring out which spouse to approach for a donation, this is a critical determination.

Time: In poverty, the present is the most important. The middle class focuses on the future. The wealthy, on the other hand, are steeped in the past, with an emphasis on tradition and history. Again, determining your prospect's temporal emphasis may help guide your proposal. Is s/he more interested in keeping up school tradition, or will a vision of your school's future be more persuasive?

It's important to note that Payne does not consider one class "better" than another, but argues that the "rules" of different social classes hold sway in different environments. Public schools and corporate workplaces tend to adhere to middle class values, which may be at odds with the assumptions of some of your wealthier donors or volunteers.

It is important to note, as well, that social class is a fluid construct: a person's family background, education, and life experience - such as marrying someone from a different social class - all influence the "hidden rules" they follow. My guess is that the newer wealth of hedge funds and private equity may be more "middle class" than older, inherited wealth.

While amorphous, social class is another angle from which we can view our work. It can make us better researchers. And it can make us more comfortable in the environments in which we operate.