In 1500 words or less, each post will give you something you can use TODAY to build yourself, your people and your organization whether your organization is a "for-profit" or a "not-for-profit."
Supporting charities and operating a profitable business are not mutually exclusive.
Businesses can help in so many ways, but like any collaboration, charities and service clubs can also help businesses.
Every organization has drama.
Drama is virtually impossible to avoid because organizations consist of people and when you have two or more people together, the potential for drama exists.
That’s not cynical, in my experience, that’s just how things work. Whether it’s good or bad depends on how the organization reacts to and anticipates drama.
Big and innovative ideas aren’t the issue, putting big and innovative ideas into reality is the issue. Many entrepreneurs, consultants, managers, executive directors, and the people working for them have shared these lessons will me.
They work. Use them, share them, and build your organization.
Many small and medium-sized organizations struggle to find the right people in a competitive job environment. A step in the right direction is to stand apart from everyone else.
Give me five minutes of your time and you will not regret it.
You probably know several people experiencing food insecurity although you may not be aware they are.
In schools, the quiet child who sits by themselves at lunchtime may not have lunch. The new person who seems to have trouble concentrating late each day because they can’t afford breakfast. That older couple who just had their roof repaired and had to spend money that they didn’t have.
One in five people in our communities are experiencing food insecurity … they need our help … what can you do? Take five minutes and read this.
In a book I was listening to recently, the author praised people who take the time to clear obstacles from other people’s paths. The author’s explanation and examples had a very powerful effect on me. The book inspired me to write about people who moved “rocks” for me and for people I have known.
The real problem is some organizations are struggling to find people using tools and strategies that worked in the past but these tools haven’t been updated for the employment environment that exists today. It doesn’t matter if the organization is a “for-profit” or “not-for-profit.” In many ways the problem is a basic supply and demand problem, however, there are many more variables in the equation today than ever before.
My posts are about things that I know, things that I have seen, experienced, or situations where I helped people and organizations. This post is about a trauma that is common, many people have suffered through it in the past, some are experiencing it right now, and still, more will experience it in the future.
Yesterday I read a report on why a community garden was rejected by complaints from its neighbors. The comments had a profound impact on me. As an advocate for vulnerable people, I was dismayed, angry, and shocked that any group of Canadians could be so incredibly self-absorbed and uncaring. The more I thought about it, the more upset I became. Then I reread the complaints and I realized what might be the reasons.
Admitting fear makes someone vulnerable. Being vulnerable is not something that many people are willing to discuss.
To reveal the fears in your organization there must be a culture of non-judgment, open communication, and earned trust. If those three elements are in place, then by listening and watching it is possible to identify fears and the people who are suffering.