The Business of Service

We find ourselves at a unique moment: America faces a crisis of historic proportions amid equally historic levels of enthusiasm to repair our world. Everyone wants to serve. President-elect Obama has promised to expand Americorps and the Peace Corps and to channel the civic energies of the American public through new vehicles, such as an Education Corps or Green Jobs Corps. Supplementing these efforts, nonprofit organizations like City Year, Teach for America, and YouthBuild seem poised to explode.

Yet beyond government and nonprofits, a third sector has a significant role to play -- the business community. The corporations and small businesses that power American growth and shape our society have an opportunity to make a major impact. If we engage them, they could be the fuel that turbo-charges our vision of national service.

Businesses can answer the call. Indeed, many already have. Some will encourage volunteerism on MLK Day, and others might organize team projects among employees. While these efforts are laudable, this moment calls for more imaginative solutions. Let's seize this opportunity to encourage the business community to seek more creative approaches to corporate responsibility.

For example, companies could lend some of their human resources to the public sector -- think a corporate Peace Corps. This is not such a novel idea. During the post-9/11 downturn, Fortune 500 companies like Cisco Systems sent top talent to aid nonprofits on short-term assignments. Patagonia grants employees a "sabbatical" to spend up to six months on site at a charitable organization. Such programs add value to the employees, enhancing professional development; they add value to the employers, improving retention and refining the skills of their labor force when there is less work at the home office; and they add value to those organizations that build and sustain our shared communities.

Companies can also rethink existing products and processes. Every "ethical brand" that focuses on creating a double or triple bottom line represents an act of service because such products generate benefit, not only for shareholders, but also for stakeholders. Firms like Fresh and Easy, Living Homes, and Zipcar all exemplify this trend. Promotions like the [RED] campaign and the Amex Members Project have demonstrated that you can rejuvenate existing brands through meaningful cause engagement. Service isn't limited to tutoring a child -- rethinking consumption and making conscious choices represent an important, light-touch manner of participating in civic engagement and national renewal.

Finally, firms can engage allies in government and nonprofits to explore new, cross-sector partnerships. Such efforts can generate new opportunities by solving problems and building markets. Initially, the need for such alliances might not be obvious. But with a little imagination, we can find those win-win opportunities that benefit the public and generate profits to address the core need of companies.

As we create a culture of shared governance, it is essential that the business community has a seat the table. We cannot rely solely on individuals or government to change the world. Companies can and must take up the call to serve in new and innovative ways for the benefit of all.

 

Follow Jonathan Greenblatt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/J0NATHAN_G

Comments

[cylindar]

05:02 PM on 01/18/2009

Interestin­g idea!

[Richard A. Smith]

01:13 PM on 01/16/2009

Great post, Jonathan.

[Dr. Judith Rich]

02:35 AM on 01/16/2009

Jonathan,

Thanks for this important article.

I think we can be in service at any time, any place, anywhere. Service is not only something one does. It's a way of being.

Zencast, don't wait until you retire to give of yourself freely. That's what volunteeri­ng is. Volunteer to let a car in ahead of you in traffic. Volunteer to be patient when others don't travel at your speed. Volunteer to let the person with 2 articles in their basket get in front of you in the check out line.

What if the question is: "How can I serve?" rather than "What's in it for me?" A transforma­tive shift in our way of thinking! This is what our PE is asking of us and I'm thankful for this.

As a corporate consultant­, I think it's critical that companies be part of this change process. Enlightene­d corporate leaders can have a significan­t impact in the lives of their associates and all the families connected with them.

Thanks for bringing forward this most important awareness,
Judith

[cylindar]

05:04 PM on 01/18/2009

Most people work too many hours in a corporate atmosphere and hardly have time for their families. Your sentiments are good but the rality is telling me a different stroy. It is a great sacrifice to donate free time when your children and wife or husband has to suffer because you feel the necessity to save the world only to let your world fail in the process.

[Zentrist]

12:57 AM on 01/14/2009

Since we (most of us) spend our waking hours at a job that performs a service, the best way for most of us to "be of service" is to do a quality job while on the job. "Quality" here means a good attitude, competent work, exceptiona­l people skills, punctualit­y and reliabilit­y. Creativity is excellent, but not at the expense of "blending in," becoming "a part of" as opposed to "apart from." Cooperatio­n and collaborat­ion, obviously, are the name of the game. Friendline­ss and naturalnes­s are two pillars of solid relationsh­ips at work. The retail store I work for wisely stresses these three "beliefs": respect for the individual­, service to the customer and striving for excellence­.

One day, if I live long enough to "retire," I might do some "volunteer­" work. In the meantime, I've got my work cut out for me.

[Clavis]

11:41 AM on 01/16/2009

The day corporatio­ns are legally altered so that their sole purpose is no longer the maximizati­on of shareholde­r profit at all costs, then we can hope for corporate cooperatio­n on important issues. Until then, it is pie-in-the­-sky fantasy.