Seeking the Willing
"How did you get so involved in community," Leslie Murphy--one of the regions most impactful civic volunteers-- was asked. She replied, "follow your passion and just start walking down the path of volunteering."
(Leslie Murphy)
Follow your passion.
Don't stand still and wait for it to come to you. Reach out---start walking down the path of involvement. Move from being a spectator to a participant.
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Last Saturday morning Jeff Love, President of Baker College, and I spoke to 150 Baker College students about leadership, the health and human service sector, and the huge transition in leadership that will take place over the next ten years: 600,000 executive's in the US will retire from the non-profit sector. Who is prepared to lead non-profit organizations in a 2.0 world?
They asked, "how do we get those jobs that are becoming available?"
(Jeff Love)
Follow your passion.
Don't stand still and expect the organization to create the great job for you. Create your own plan of action. Be the author of your work. Develop the skills inside the organization and outside the organization. Don't be a spectator in an organization. Become a full participant.
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About 20 individuals from United Way's Leadership Next --- next generation leaders in SE Michigan --- met with Tony Earley-- Chairman of DTE for an informal dialogue on leadership last night.
"It seems to me that those who have successful careers and lives are people who get involved. I have been involved with community for over 35 years, and it is through that involvement, that I have learned new skills and met some of the best people", Tony reflected.
"Identify what you are interested in ..... and just start getting yourself involved."
(Tony Earley)
Find your passion.
Don't stand still. Start looking for others that are involved in that passion as well. Be curious. Seek to understand. Start helping. Don't wait for an organization to come to you. Rather, become a participant by making the first step.
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Matching retirees with jobs for the public good is a feature in today's New York Times. After a 20 - 30 year career, many retirees are taking their skills and applying them to his or her passions. The retirement model isn't go and play golf in a retirement community. Rather, it is go and take your skills to make a difference. Sometimes for pay. Other times as a volunteer.
Regardless, the pattern is emerging.
Follow your passion.
Don't wait for the next chapter of your life to be prescribed by someone else. Go write your new story ---- the story you always wanted to write. Don't be a spectator of watching others connect their talents to advancing the common good. Become a participant.
How?
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Five steps to getting involved:
1. Identify what you would like to become involved with. What do you want to make a difference on? What would get you out of bed in the morning with a bounce in your step. Get clear about what skills you most want to utilize.
2. Identify organizations that are doing work in that area by calling United Way's 211. We can help you create your contact list.
3. Call the president of those organizations and ask for a 1/2 hour meeting to learn more about the issue you care about and the organization's work. Any CEO worth his/her weight in salt will welcome such a visitor.
4. Ask the CEO to identify other networks that are doing similar work that you could contact.
5. After a few visits, you will begin to see opportunities to help. Make a suggestion to others on how you would like to help. Before long, you will move from looking from the outside to knowing and having relationships with others that share your passion. Just take the first step. It might not be a perfect match right away ---- but over time --- you will find the fit that makes sense for you.
Thanks for reading. Pass it on.
(Leslie Murphy)
Follow your passion.
Don't stand still and wait for it to come to you. Reach out---start walking down the path of involvement. Move from being a spectator to a participant.
==================================================================
Last Saturday morning Jeff Love, President of Baker College, and I spoke to 150 Baker College students about leadership, the health and human service sector, and the huge transition in leadership that will take place over the next ten years: 600,000 executive's in the US will retire from the non-profit sector. Who is prepared to lead non-profit organizations in a 2.0 world?
They asked, "how do we get those jobs that are becoming available?"
(Jeff Love)
Follow your passion.
Don't stand still and expect the organization to create the great job for you. Create your own plan of action. Be the author of your work. Develop the skills inside the organization and outside the organization. Don't be a spectator in an organization. Become a full participant.
================================================================
About 20 individuals from United Way's Leadership Next --- next generation leaders in SE Michigan --- met with Tony Earley-- Chairman of DTE for an informal dialogue on leadership last night.
"It seems to me that those who have successful careers and lives are people who get involved. I have been involved with community for over 35 years, and it is through that involvement, that I have learned new skills and met some of the best people", Tony reflected.
"Identify what you are interested in ..... and just start getting yourself involved."
(Tony Earley)
Find your passion.
Don't stand still. Start looking for others that are involved in that passion as well. Be curious. Seek to understand. Start helping. Don't wait for an organization to come to you. Rather, become a participant by making the first step.
================================================================
Matching retirees with jobs for the public good is a feature in today's New York Times. After a 20 - 30 year career, many retirees are taking their skills and applying them to his or her passions. The retirement model isn't go and play golf in a retirement community. Rather, it is go and take your skills to make a difference. Sometimes for pay. Other times as a volunteer.
Regardless, the pattern is emerging.
Follow your passion.
Don't wait for the next chapter of your life to be prescribed by someone else. Go write your new story ---- the story you always wanted to write. Don't be a spectator of watching others connect their talents to advancing the common good. Become a participant.
How?
================================================================
Five steps to getting involved:
1. Identify what you would like to become involved with. What do you want to make a difference on? What would get you out of bed in the morning with a bounce in your step. Get clear about what skills you most want to utilize.
2. Identify organizations that are doing work in that area by calling United Way's 211. We can help you create your contact list.
3. Call the president of those organizations and ask for a 1/2 hour meeting to learn more about the issue you care about and the organization's work. Any CEO worth his/her weight in salt will welcome such a visitor.
4. Ask the CEO to identify other networks that are doing similar work that you could contact.
5. After a few visits, you will begin to see opportunities to help. Make a suggestion to others on how you would like to help. Before long, you will move from looking from the outside to knowing and having relationships with others that share your passion. Just take the first step. It might not be a perfect match right away ---- but over time --- you will find the fit that makes sense for you.
Thanks for reading. Pass it on.
Labels: civic engagement, Window on Community
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