I've been working with some wonderful nonprofit organizations recently, and I'm struck by all the good being done. These groups work tirelessly to help important causes while laboring to expand their reach and funding.
Fortunately, more and more companies are recognizing the benefits of supporting such groups. It's part of being an upstanding corporate citizen and often bolsters their business as well. As one corporate executive shared with me, "The greater our support, the better our business. We now champion hundreds of causes as part of our corporate strategy."
Today, even with shrinking budgets, there's a lot that a business can do to engage employees in good causes and create a win for everyone involved. Five tips for getting started:
- Promote volunteerism
Employees contribute significantly more to a cause when they’re directly involved. Volunteerism can energize participation in company programs and certainly trumps a CEO letter "encouraging support."
- Tap employee passions
Everyone feels passionate about something — often a cause that hits home in a personal sense. Ask employees what they really care about, and look for meaningful ways to engage them in their "fire in the belly" causes.
- Initiate dialogue
The best ideas frequently come from employees themselves, not from on high. Open a dialogue with employees before selecting or starting a campaign. You can ask for their time and money later. Upfront ask them to contribute their ideas.
- Play to people's strengths
Go beyond leveraging employees' strengths on the job, and put their talent and skills to work outside their company role. Help people apply their sweet spots to a cause — and earn the paycheck of the heart.
- Accentuate the positive
It's easy to fixate on the challenges and problems in the business and, these days, in the economy. Resist the temptation to "go negative" and help people focus on the positive — the opportunities that lie within the problems — and funnel their energy for doing good.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.
~Dr. Seuss
Recent Speaking Engagements
Alzheimer's Association National Corporate Recognition Event
(Anaheim, California)
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Imagine Mountain Brook — A Mountain Brook Chamber Strategic Planning Initiative (Birmingham, Alabama)
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About Gayle Lantz
Gayle Lantz is a leadership expert and president of WorkMatters, Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping executives think and work smarter.
She is author of the award-winning book Take the Bull by the Horns: The Busy Leader's Action Guide to Growing Your Business…and Yourself.
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