How To Encourage Giving In Your Organization

The power of one. Every vote counts. The democratization of this and that. These phrases are often sprinkled about to inspire people to make meaningful change. But in the face of natural disasters, political upheaval, and other big societal challenges, it can be hard to believe that individual actions have a significant impact. How do we make the shift from using inspirational catchphrases to truly delivering on a sense of personal efficacy to make the world better?

I’m continually inspired by the story of Buckminster Fuller and trim tabs. Fuller was a famous architect, inventor and futurist who was responsible for the geodesic dome, among other things. He’s also known for coining the brilliant metaphor inspired by the trim tab: a tiny piece of metal that almost impossibly succeeds in turning the rudder and the ship in the desired direction — something the huge rudder couldn’t do on its own. “Call me Trim Tab!” was Fuller’s mantra, and it references the power of small actions and the role that individuals can play in moving society’s metaphorical rudder.

For too long, I believe governments and conventional philanthropy have been trying to solve massive human and social problems with a static notion of how they can create impact: large dollars directed at large nonprofit organizations.

Perhaps a little constructive disruption is necessary. What if we applied the trim tab model — a belief in the power of even small actions to generate big change — to conventional notions of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility? Here are three ways that organizations can amplify the power and efficacy of giving through a more grassroots approach.

Words can spur or halt action. If individuals view "philanthropy" as something in which only high net worth individuals can participate, that’s a discouraging factor. When it comes to inspiring people to be a force for change, our language as employers should be broader and more inclusive.

The concept of corporate purpose has received a lot of attention recently, and many companies talk about “doing well by doing good” — in other words, they commit to being profitable while also making a positive contribution to society. The beauty of corporate purpose is that it can include all kinds of things. Consider incorporating more traditional investments (like charitable giving, volunteering and community grant programs) or purpose-driven activities that people can undertake in their everyday lives, like mentorship, sustainability initiatives, activism, awareness-raising and more.

Your company can use a holistic approach to engage all kinds of individual stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers and community partners, on their terms, toward aligned goals. Everybody I know wants to feel like their actions are driven by purpose and create a positive impact. I can’t think of a better way to inspire more people to participate in changing the world than by recognizing that we all have a part to play in that co-creational effort.

Redefining how we talk about making change as employers is a first step. The next is to put the wheels of purpose in motion. Empowering individuals within an organization to make change requires that companies reshape their processes, policies and culture to support purpose-driven actions. For example, do you allow people to give to causes they care about through your corporate giving program, or are they boxed in by top-down choices or by being "voluntold" to participate?

Are you supporting people through corporate donation matches or benefits like paid time off or incentives for volunteering? How can your corporation get better at inspiring everyday acts of purpose, like biking to work or using fewer resources? Make purpose-driven activities more top of mind and more fun through gamified and easy-to-complete activities. Intentionally incorporate learning and awareness components. Incentives are another great way to inspire everyday acts of purpose.

A once-a-year financial contribution to a trusted cause is fine, but there’s so much more going on in today’s society that calls for our attention and support. I believe we need to move from an era of annual charity events and cardboard checks to one where everyday acts directed toward positive change — even if they're modest and grassroots in nature — are a celebrated and prevalent part of our society and culture. In practice, this means making purpose part of “how things are done” at work. This means promoting and conveying the company’s sense of purpose from the outset by building elements of volunteering or giving into the employee onboarding process or into discussions at events like board meetings. (Believe me, it works.) Build a regular cadence of events and initiatives to increase the likelihood of resonance in your employee or customer demographic.

Like the tiny trim tab, every individual and company has the power to be a catalyst for change. And organizations can help amplify this power in three key ways:

1. Move away from exclusive definitions like “philanthropy” and toward inclusive and broader concepts like “purpose” or “goodness.”

2. Reshape organizational processes and policies in support of all individuals who wish to drive purpose. To do this, companies can provide more user-centric options in their programs and put company budget toward employee-driven efforts, including donation matching and paid time off for volunteering. Providing support for employee resource groups (ERGs) is another way to enable this.

3. Make purpose a repeatable part of your company’s corporate culture and authentic identity. For example, choose a few annual “goodness days” to celebrate companywide, like World Mental Health Day, Earth Day or Giving Tuesday.

“Call me Trim Tab!” is an excellent rallying cry for purpose-driven companies and their people. Imagine the impact that individuals can have when they are supported in championing causes and issues that they are truly passionate about. Not only can they gain a sense of personal satisfaction and efficacy, but they’ll also feel a deeper investment in their workplace and in the organizations that they choose to support. And then each army of one doing their small part to course-correct global society can flow into a collectively impactful army of many.

Source: Forbes.com

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