I am sure that every manager, business owner, entrepreneur, net-worker, team builder, religious leader, non-profit director… has faced the issue of loyalty at some point or other.
Loyalty is the end-goal of a well-traveled mountain path littered by barriers and detours.
I’m sounding off on the topic, as I ponder on this after 2 years of developing and overseeing the progress of a temporary counseling program. This particular program of the non-profit provides community relief in the sector of housing counseling; with other programs offer community education and food drives.
The initial mission is bringing people together through acts of goodwill; as the housing crisis blossomed the need for housing counseling services grew. The foundation’s activities are sustained by volunteers and the community it serves.
We brought in the first core of counselors and taught them in the areas of marketing, team building, and housing counseling. Providing countless hours of training via website information, conference calls, quarterly training, and many selfless ones on one session –all the training for free.
Many people came through the unseen doors of The Helpful Hands Foundation receiving more than they ever gave. Some of our own counselors were in foreclosure and learned key points on home preservation and lender requirements. Many homeowners were at the doors of courthouses and were empowered with hope; armed with confidence and knowledge they were able to talk to judges and attorneys and restore homeownership. Thousands of dollars were saved not to mention the agony and despair of being left out on the streets.
In a period of two years, The Helpful Hands Foundation alone had saved over 2,000 people from foreclosure.
In those same two years, we watched hundreds of people come into the housing counseling work program of the non-profit, and… we watched them leave. People were paid on commission. The money that came in for services was all disbursed back to the counselors. The incentive was built into the same commission so that a management team could oversee the work and get compensated for helping train more counselors. This effort would maximize community outreach.
What pains me is that I’ve seen how many people are ruled by ‘money’… money is their boss. Not loyalty to a cause.
The Cause at The Helpful Hands Foundation: Helping People. The motto: “helping one hand at a time”
How do we help? Through service.
Many say they like helping people… but I have a long list of names that through direct dealing with them… I beg to disagree with them.
Is your organization filling a need? What kind of need? Does it create jobs? Does it fill an emotional need? Does it educate others? Does it advocate for those less fortunate?
I still find myself with the initial question, how does a non-profit create loyalty when people are looking to make money? I believe in its motto of People helping people.
What a novelty cause: people helping people.
Why would anyone want to join a non-profit and take up its mission and crusade (or church, company, team, etc) but then have no concern how the organization pays its bills?
Again, I find myself trying to understand my own purpose. I don’t want to give up on people, even though I myself feel alone.
If you are a leader and believe in your company, if you believe in its mission statement, if you believe in touching people’s lives… then let that define you. Become the best at your trade whether it be leadership, recruiter, trainer, manager… whether you run a profit or nonprofit – become the best at whatever that may be!
On the other hand, if you are a leader and believe in the money your position can attract… then let that define you and follow the money.
Don’t stay in a company where you will not be fulfilled.
If you are a hiring manager, recruiter, or trainer (church leader, business owner, etc)- remember you are influencing the make-up of the organization by the people you bring and train; and it is a privilege to be a mentor to someone. The opportunity for interaction and giving to another human being is priceless.
I have learned that many people place ZERO value on knowledge that is given freely or even emotional goodwill they receive from a kindred spirit. If they don’t see it with their eyes if they can’t touch the results with their hands you just haven’t done enough for them.
I have been a trainer for over 25 years and I’ve embraced with much pain the lesson from the above sentence and I have learned to practice the Catch and Release philosophy. (it is better for my soul)
I’ve met many folks through The Helpful Hands Foundation and this has allowed me to be on many Catch and Release expeditions; in these expeditions, some were saved from foreclosure, others were hungry and were fed through our food drives but the biggest hunger satisfied was for those that sought knowledge, encouragement, and support. Those things are priceless.
The Helpful Hands Foundation – while it’s not the biggest most renowned organization – I’d like to believe that it does little things in big ways. (one at a time)
Your actions will soon DEFINE… YOU.
