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- Leading with Presence
- Social Entrepreneurship: What It Is & How Together We CAN Change the World!
- Why Learning to Say “No” Matters
| Posted: 29 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT "We can do more good by being good, than in any other way." ~ Rowland Hill On my way to an appointment the other day, I made a right turn and couldn't help but notice the expressions of people in each of the cars in line waiting to turn left. One woman’s face was forlorn and her head drooped over the steering wheel. The car behind her contained a woman whose smile and upward glance beamed joy and anticipation. The face of the man in the car after her looked like a clenched fist and his shoulders were scrunched up next to his ears. His free hand clutched a BlackBerry, onto which his eyes were glued. I smiled as I realized that I could relate to each of these people. I have worn all their various expressions and postures at one time or another. And it occurred to me that I could wear any of their countenances as the day progressed. Which would I choose? The answer to that question could very well have determined the quality of my entire day, and could also quite likely have impacted those around me as well. Every once in a while when I go out running I see a little old man riding a beach cruiser. In the dawn hours, as the sun begins to peek above the horizon, the light glistens across his handlebars. He is a fairly round man with fuzzy white hair and bright blue eyes. He pedals so slowly that it is a wonder he and his bicycle don’t just fall over. But what is most striking about him is that he is always smiling. Every time I see this man, rain or shine, he seems to have something to be happy about. And his smile isn't just the polite grin that people often quickly exchange as they enter each other's space. It is the kind that comes from a deep contentment and wonderment with life. The little light on his bicycle shines brightly at the crack of dawn, but the glow around him is even more radiant. I find myself hoping to see him on my morning runs and experiencing waves of joy and delight every time I do – feeling lighter and happier just for having crossed his path. His presence alone is truly inspiring. Radiating a positive presence is one of the most essential things a leader can do for other people. To have this kind of influence and effect on others, you don't have to have a fancy title, a bunch of people reporting to you, or even work in an organization at all. People pick up, consciously and subconsciously, on the energy we emanate – and for better or worse, those we spend a lot of time around will often align themselves with it. True leaders – in any setting or vocation – are consciously aware of the tone they set with their own presence. They use it to uplift and inspire others, perceiving the brilliance of everyone and everything around them and graciously reflecting it back. I wonder whether that sweet little man on the beach cruiser has any idea of how profoundly he has impacted me. And I wonder if you realize the effect you can have on the lives of everyone around you as well… maybe without even having to say a word. Featured Photo Credit: magerleagues  |
| Social Entrepreneurship: What It Is & How Together We CAN Change the World! Posted: 29 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT
Simply put, Social Entrepreneurship applies to those people or organizations that work towards discovering and/or crafting solutions to cure one or more social problems (a.k.a. ailments). What's a social ailment (or 'dis-ease' if you will)? These are challenges facing society such as the environment, poverty, political problems, hunger, abuse, human trafficking, addictions, human rights abuses and the like. Further, social issues encompass not only macro-level "catchphrase" issues as just mentioned, but also on a micro/local-level, general day-to-day life problems will all fall into the social category – in short, any issue plaguing society as a whole. Social Entrepreneurs are true visionaries working "outside of the box" and the traditional business model of providing and product and/or service simply for financial gains alone, instead they work to effect change as the main tenet of their "biz" model. As example, two of the great historical Social Entrepreneurs include Mother Theresa and Rafael Alvarez and today, it's so remarkable to see that Social Entrepreneurs abound and their ranks continue to grow. All are individuals trying to change real problems — in a real way — facing society and the world. Social entrepreneurs typically work within a group of other like-minded and like-hearted people and together, a group of social entrepreneurs bring the power of "WE" to actively and more effectively combat these social issues through joint efforts to conceive solutions for often very complex issues/problems. While there are a lot of tremendous people actively making changes in the world, there's always room for more. So, you might be asking "if so many others are already doing it why bother working to create social change at all when you need to pay the mortgage next week?" Answer is – more problems than solutions thus far. The concept behind Social Entrepreneurship is simple enough: We all live in the same world, why not make it the best world possible and from that social (thus financial) security will follow as well in the "law of circulation" (give to give and give to receive). Naturally anything worth "it" takes time, effort, patience and support. There's nothing simple about this type of entrepreneurship, but, then again, solving any social problem (whether home grown or global) is not supposed to be easy. If you recognize a social ill that sparks a flame inside you (and frankly we all do right?), and you see a path to make an impact-to "do something about it" then leap! Take your vision and grand ideas around this social issue and join forces with people who share your passion to leave a legacy of change. The rewards that come from Social Entrepreneurship are not immediate nor are they the golden kind in terms of taking them to the bank immediately, but these are rewards that you'll remember for the rest of your life – even better, creating this kind of change will impact the lives of others. Now that is something that is invaluable and golden all its own –work you can feel wonderful about every single day for the rest of your life. Do you have an idea? Bet you do! So grab your visionary/entrepreneurial hat, put it on and get started – the world is waiting and needs you… Photo Credit: iStock  |
| Why Learning to Say “No” Matters Posted: 29 May 2012 02:00 AM PDT When you started out, you were so glad to get email enquiries, calls and visitors. Getting people through the door, even a virtual door, was the best feeling! Someone was interested in what you were doing. Your idea wasn't going to flop. Your services were needed and, more importantly, wanted. You weren't going to fail and starve. You were so overjoyed to see and hear from these clients… that you forgot to set boundaries. "Just email me anytime." "No problem." Your fear of failure created a monster: A never-ending stream of questions, requests and demands. Now there are days (lots of them) when you feel you are suffocating under the weight of your inbox. It's not the client's fault — they’re just doing their best to manage their own emergencies. And so the cycle is never broken — unless you do something about it, that is. When was the last time you said "no"? What's stopping you? Maybe you're afraid that your reputation will be hurt, that people will stop coming back or go somewhere else. Perhaps they'll tell their friends and that will be that. The work will dry up and you'll be out of the game. If you allow unnecessary admin — the kind that you can clear up by managing client expectations — to suck all the joy out of your work, you're going to slowly kill your art and your business anyway. Your impatience with clients and staff will eventually show, and your resentment will mean that you never do your best work. If you are overwhelmed by mismanaged expectations, then you leave no space. No time to think, create, design, brainstorm, make maps and come up with ideas worth caring about. No time to say "yes" to the right things, and no time for the thing that brought people to you in the first place. Featured Photo Credit: Steve-h  |
The term "Social Entrepreneurship" is used frequently these days, though the actual definition is often muddled. Many hear it, think "that sounds hip and cool" (not really knowing a thing about it) and move on to the next "to do" on the list for the day/week/month. However it's truly a growing and fascinating area that can effect local, national and global change.| You are subscribed to email updates from Upmarket To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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