One thing that I admire most about nonprofits, is their ability to get the job done with volunteers. There are so many people willing to come together, to do work for people in need. We have used marketing, media and promotions to get volunteers for social service organizations multiple times. So many people are willing to volunteer and help out. It’s a great thing.
At the same time, I think about how uncomfortable most businesses are with asking for help. I am not sure if any of our clients would ever feel safe enough to ask for assistance with anything, if they were in need. And to be honest, we would not ask either. I am thinking about this a lot lately, because so many people in business and social service talk about creating community online, or in the workplace, and building a family. While at the same time, no one feels safe enough to ask for help from the very community they work so hard to build.
I write a lot about protecting our health, both mental and physical. I write many posts about being a successful business or organization, and working hard to grow and develop in the healthiest way possible, so everyone involved can benefit. But I keep wondering, why are we afraid to ask for help when we need it? Imagine how much more successful we could be, if we asked for support.
We can learn a great deal from nonprofit organizations, in their attitude about “being there” for each other. In an ideal world, I would love to have that kind of relationship with the people we work with. This is not about asking for free work either or taking advantage of one another. This is about asking for what we need to be healthy, happy, and secure. This is about being honest about our health and relationships. This is about looking out for each other, while we work together. And when it comes to the internet, this is about looking out for each other online, and making sure we are safe and protected. This is always our preferred way of doing business.
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Photo of United Way Tucson and Southern Arizona, Days of Caring
