Every five years or so, I notice that companies refocus their attention on social impact. Sometimes the focus is local with them using their resources and funds to support community initiatives and organizations. Many times the impact is national or even global, but more and more I’m seeing companies, business leaders, and individuals turning their attention to making systematic changes in society.
Social impact has many forms and companies who are able to align their core mission to a cause and remain consistent in their giving are winning every day.
Ben & Jerry’s is one such company. From the beginning Ben & Jerry's has done much more than sell ice cream. They have been promoting grassroots efforts in the areas of social justice, protecting the environment, and supporting sustainable food systems. In keeping with their core mission, they often link their business to efforts like supporting fair trade. They also include their employees in the grant review process of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.
In my work as a non-profit CEO, I get to make an impact on the lives of others every single day. It’s a pleasure to go to work and at the end of day, be proud of the work that I and my staff do. We help people by providing training, education and job skills for the workplace. We help them to succeed by ensuring that they have the wrap-around services that they need to combat food insecurity, or get the healthcare that they need.
While I am incredibly proud of the work we do, I know that I as an individual can do more. That’s part of the reason that I started my consulting business, Motivational Muse, LLC. I have long heard people talking about their lack of motivation to find a fulfilling career or one that gives them a sense of pride.
These people were successful by all accounts, but they felt like something was missing. In some cases, these individuals also felt like their company or organization could and should do more to build up their community or fight for some social injustice, but the question was and is, where to start? They knew what they causes they cared about, but starting seemed overwhelming.
I can tell you where I started. I started with a self-assessment. I looked in the mirror and really evaluated my talents, areas of strength and areas of weakness. So here are three questions to help you start your self-assessment:
1. How prepared are you to make changes to your life to achieve your goal/s?
a. I'm ready to do whatever I need to do to make it happen
b. I'd like to see how much I can achieve / I'm pretty busy but am ready to make some effort
c. I'm not ready to make big changes yet / I have too much going on to change much
2. How passionate are you about achieving your goal/s?
a. Absolutely, I want it more than anything else right now
b. I want to get there - but at my own pace
c. A little / If I can make a small change I will be happy
3. How much support would you like with the planning and execution of your goal/s?
a. I would love support in specific areas (eg. brainstorming / action planning / identifying obstacles / you accountability)
b. Some support is good / If I make a plan I am more likely to stick to it
c. I need some help to get started
If you have a goal for yourself, your family, the community, and perhaps the world, check out www.motivationalmuse.com. I’m here to encourage you and support you in making an impact.
