A critical aspect of my occupational seachange eighteen months ago was a close examination of the key domains of my life and what I wanted to achieve in them. Examining yourself forensically can be a challenging process, particularly when you uncover things that make you appear less than the complete and caring human being you thought you were.
When we are on the executive bandwagon (making money; accumulating power; exerting influence) we often feel we are making the world a better place simply by being successful. When we examine how much we actually do though in the domains of public service and charity, it is usually pitifully small. Yes, there’s the odd generous donation, the support of various charities through corporate golf days and other events, and paying plenty of tax; but there’s usually no time to get personally involved.
I realised that was true of me, and now good works and charity are things I will increasingly involve myself in.
I came across a website today which reminded me of this ongoing aim.
Idealist.org: Action Without Borders styles itself as the place where the non-profit world meets. Its stated mission:
Action Without Borders connects people, organizations and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives.
Action Without Borders is independent of any government, political ideology or religious creed. Our work is guided by the common desire of our members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.
Sounds a great initiative and one worth close consideration. Of course there are many organisations we can involve ourselves in locally, nationally and internationally. Some we can only do through our chequebooks, but others we can actually lend our hands, hearts and our heads to.
So whether it’s using our accumulated business knowledge to benefit the boards of not-for-profit organisations, or reading stories once a week in the local children’s hospital, being directly involved in charity work is not only good for our society, it’s also good for the soul.
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