What a Peanut Butter Sandwich Taught Me About Communication – and Systems

My LinkedIn profile is about how a lesson in “How to make a peanut butter sandwich” first opened my eyes to the importance of communication. The lesson seemed simple, right? Get the bread, slap on the peanut butter, maybe some jelly - done. But let me take you back to third grade, where this exercise cracked open a much bigger lesson. 

I had written what I thought was the perfect set of instructions: “First, get the bread.” Logical, right? 

Not to my teacher. 

She asked, “What if I don’t know where you keep the bread?” 

Wait—what? Doesn’t everyone keep it in a bread box on the counter? Apparently not. Listening to my classmates read their versions, I realized everyone had a different approach. Some even put peanut butter on both slices. Some skipped jelly entirely. Mind blown. 

You’d think I’d learned my lesson. But that summer, a babysitter asked if I wanted a peanut butter sandwich. I enthusiastically said yes—expecting Jif, jelly, and fluffy Wonder Bread. Instead? I got no-sugar, gritty peanut butter (the kind you have to stir), no jelly, and Roman Meal bread. If you were around in this bygone era, you know this was (literally) a hard lesson to swallow.  

These sandwich sagas taught me something important: words matter. What we say - and how it’s interpreted - can be wildly different things. That’s where the beauty of systems comes in. They’re how we create clarity, consistency, and connection. 

That’s why Systems is the first point in FourPoints. But it’s not the only one. Here's what else sandwiches—and systems—have taught me: 

Systems: The Recipe for Flow 

In nonprofit fundraising, systems are how everything works together to raise and steward donations well. They're the answer to “how,” “why,” and “what if.” 

• Structure matters: Are donation thank-you steps clear? Do donors feel appreciated? Is there a clear journey from first gift to lifelong giving? 

• Tools matter: Is the CRM capturing and reporting the right info? Can we access it easily and actually use it to build relationships? Do you have the right metrics in place to track your fundraisers' hard work? 

Because without systems, it’s like making a sandwich with no bread. Awkward. Ineffective. Crumbly, even. 

People: Powered by Clarity 

Good systems support good people. When systems are clear: 

• Fundraisers know their roles, have solid tools, and find joy in their work. 

• Mistakes are prevented—like missing a major gift or forgetting a thank-you. (Yes, it happens. It’s gut-wrenching.) 

With clarity, teams feel confident and empowered. 

Stories: Sticky, Savvy, and Shareable 

Numbers are helpful. But they don’t tug at heartstrings on their own. 

Great systems help teams gather and share meaningful impact: 

• Program staff can surface real stories of transformation. 

• Fundraisers can connect those stories to donors in ways that resonate with them. 

Because a stat without a story is like… a sandwich without peanut butter. Dry. Boring. Forgettable. 

Innovation: Don’t Get Stuck in the Spread(sheet) 

Good systems aren’t about doing things the way they’ve always been done. They evolve with us. 

• Still emailing 15 people to approve one letter? Let’s streamline. 

• Still exporting everything into Excel to track caseloads and metrics? There’s better tech (I do love Excel… but we can do better). 

Smart systems include smart tools—like automation, personalization, and AI—to bring creativity, speed, and joy to your work. 

The Takeaway? Sandwiches. Systems. Smiles. 

That peanut butter sandwich wasn’t just a lesson in making lunch. 

Whether you’re a third grader writing instructions or a nonprofit leader designing donor journeys, the message is the same: communication matters. Clear systems matter. People matter. 

So, the next time you make a sandwich – or think about your organization - think about your systems. Are they supporting joy? Sparking connection? Helping you tell better stories? Streamlined? 

(And please, add the jelly.) 

🎁 Want to make your CRM actually work for you? 

If you’re not already a subscriber, join today to grab our free CRM Donor Status & Tracking Guide — built to help you bring more clarity, consistency, and peanut-buttery joy to your donor relationships. 

✨ FourPoints Collective: Where clarity meets joy, and fundraising gets good to the last crumb.