Byline: Debra Morrill
There are many reasons to volunteer: Helping others, giving back to the community and making a difference, to name a few.
For professionals and business owners who volunteer their time to nonprofit organizations, there can be even more benefits with a direct impact on your career and the bottom line of your business.
Getting out and being seen in the community is a good marketing tool. 'We buy from people we know and trust,' said Joan Gillman, director of special industry programs-executive education at the UW School of Business. 'If you meet people away from a business setting, they are likely to get to know and trust you.'
But no one is advocating volunteering just to build your business or resume, Gillman said. People see through that.
Instead, choose a project or a cause that is related to your business. 'Match your professional skills and strengths with what you're volunteering for,' she said.
A volunteer stint on the education committee for the Direct Selling Association eventually led to consulting work and international travel for Gillman. 'But the volunteer work came first,' she said. 'They had to get to know me and what I did.'
Volunteering leads to networking opportunities. But keep your focus on the volunteer commitment and don't self-promote, said Jacqui Sakowski, owner of Sakowski Consulting LLC. 'Hold yourself accountable for accomplishing your task and show off the fine human being you are,' she said. 'Others will recognize those qualities and be attracted to you. Let your work speak for itself.'
She led a committee that organized an event for the Middleton Chamber of Commerce. The owner of the business where the event was held got to know her and later hired her. 'The best networking comes from working shoulder-to-shoulder with people on projects,' she said.
Kevin Mahaney, assistant vice president of commercial banking at Capitol Bank, has a long history of volunteering. He recognizes the benefits it has had on his professional growth and development. As chairman of the finance committee for the Mental Health Center of Dane County, he led a major initiative to adopt Sarbanes-Oxley regulations. 'It deepened my understanding of Sarbanes-Oxley and about policies and procedures of nonprofits,' he said.
But any benefits to his career arising from volunteer work have been secondary. 'I haven't done any of the volunteering for career purposes,' Mahaney says. 'When I volunteer, I don't view it as how I can further my career, but rather how I can help an agency with my skills.'
For young professionals just starting out, there may be even more reason to volunteer.
According to Moses Altsech, professor of business at Edgewood College, employers are increasingly looking for volunteer experience when hiring. 'What it takes to be a great volunteer is what it takes to be a great employee,' he said. 'Respect for others, teamwork, taking initiative but still being able to work with others as an equal, those are all important skills.'
Everyone benefits from volunteering, he says. 'Volunteering is truly the proverbial win-win situation.'
Looking to gain leadership skills?
Volunteering is like studying for a master's degree in leadership development, says Jacqui Sakowski of Sakowski Consulting LLC.
'In many volunteer positions, you don't have any power, but you have a lot of responsibility and accountability,' she said. 'So being able to motivate others to participate and succeed is crucial.'
Here are some things she has learned from her experiences as chairwoman of the Middleton Community Campaign Committee for the United Way of Dane County and as president for the Business & Professional Women of Madison:
* Realize you're working as part of a team where everyone has equal status and learn to find consensus through respectful dialogue.
* Try different strategies to build support and gain buy-in.
* Learn to focus on the bigger picture when you get the least fun piece to manage. 'Your day will come if you hang in there,' she said.
* Develop ways to sell your ideas to a skeptical audience, who may have done it a different way under the last committee leader.
* Learn to check your ego at the door. 'In your own way, you're trying to change the world,' she said. 'This is bigger than your personal satisfaction.'
Getting the most out of volunteering
* Make sure the goals of the volunteer organization fit with your goals. Match your strengths and skills with the projects you choose.
* Know what you're getting yourself into. Do you understand the time commitment and what is being asked of you? Have you read the bylaws? Is this an organization you can support?
* Say 'no' up front if you are unable to meet the time commitment or expectations. Refer others with the skills the organization is looking for.
* Choose something you find personally fulfilling so it doesn't become a chore.
* Keep your focus on the volunteer work and don't self-promote. Let that happen naturally as others get to know you and your abilities.
* Be an active member if you join an organization. You won't get the full benefits of membership by sitting on the sidelines.
* Fulfill all obligations and give the same level of service you would to a client. When you do a good job, word will spread. Likewise, if you're unable to deliver what you've promised, that will affect your reputation.
* Set goals for yourself and when you've accomplished them, move on. Joan Gillman of the UW School of Business joined the board of directors for the International Breast Cancer Research Foundation to help restructure the board and find a new executive director. When those tasks were accomplished, she resigned.
* Don't overcommit. 'If you're starting a business or a new job, make sure you understand the time commitment required,' Gillman said. 'Because your efforts really need to go there.'
To get involved
The United Way of Dane County Volunteer Center maintains a database listing about 800 volunteer opportunities with more than 300 nonprofit organizations. Visit www.volunteeryourtime.org or call 211 for more information about how you can donate your skills.
CAPTION(S):
Leah L. Jones
Teresa Brogan of the Credit Union Executives Society helps paint a room last August at Braeburn Court, a senior assisted-living facility in Fitchburg. The painting project was part of the United Way Days of Caring program.
JOSEPH W. JACKSON III Last winter, 26 staff members of the Knupp & Watson advertising agency organized 'Goodstock,' a 24-hour idea-generating session for 20 nonprofit organizations in Madison. Joe Herr of Logan's Heart & Smiles is presented with promotional materials created by Fabian Tuen, left, and Joan Herzing.
