Marian Wright Edelman once stated that, “service is the rent we pay for living.” It’s an honor to be able to serve others and should never be viewed as a chore or an option. Besides, service and mission are the two things that usually fuel a CEO’s drive and desire to succeed. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is a prime example. When Starbucks was experiencing a financial dip, advisors suggested that he take away the company’s health care package for employees. He immediately refused because that was part of his way of serving his employees and honoring the work they did. While serving the community may be different from serving your community, it’s important to get your employees on board because the mission is greater than the day-to-day work. Running a successful company provides a greater opportunity to make a positive impact within communities in which we work and to support non-profits in need. Knowing this, there are a few things you’ll want to remember as your company steps out to serve.
- Start sooner rather than later. In a lot of cases, companies make the mistake of thinking they have to wait until they can donate a million dollars before they can serve. Depending on how large your company is and how much revenue it generates, a million dollar donation might take a while. Making an impact in the community could consist of acts of kindness. Adopt the local elementary school and take care of their school supplies for the year. Complete monthly projects that involve cleaning a local park or public area that receives a lot of traffic. These tasks may seem small to some, but they can make a big impact. Plus, when these acts are completed on a consistent basis, they send a message to your employees and to the community. The message is that you’re in it for the long haul.
- Give from the overflow. While it is important to be in it for the long haul and remain committed to service, it’s really important to find ways to be supportive that are still sustainable. You don’t want to make a big splash of a community effort and then realize it’s not sustainable. The last thing a community needs is a disappearing act. Take a look at the budget and figure out what the company can do from a financial standpoint to support the community. If funds are not at a level where you’d like them to be, consider partnering with other local companies and make it a team effort. Not only will this keep your company financially in the clear, it’ll also help more companies connect and support one another.
- Make an impact without an ulterior motive. Lastly, you want to give without any ulterior motive. Some companies only support the community because they believe this will result in company profits and more business. This isn’t the right heart to have. Your charitable contributions to the community can’t be rooted in selfish gain. It’s not sustainable and when people are truly in need, it’s best to get into the practice of understanding you may never receive repayment, but to give anyway. Plus, it’s better to give than to receive.
At DeSantis Trusted Advisors, we offer guidance to our clients to help them think strategically about how they can give back to their community. Contact us today for more advice.
