When the Energy is Aligned Anything is Possible

Submitted by Barri on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 00:00

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I participated in the Susan Komen three-day, 60-mile walk in San Diego. A few days before the event, I was questioning why in the world I had agreed to it. I wasn't sure I could go the distance, I didn't know what to expect of the event or my body, and I hadn't trained - yikes!

Then I arrived and … wow!

It's difficult to describe what it's like to be surrounded by several thousand people with a common goal and feel their energy move through you. All of a sudden I knew I could make it. The vision became clear, and I felt the support of my team as well as all the other participants, those people I did not know but who were there for the same reason. I saw walkers giving someone in need a Band-Aid from their precious supply, getting a teammate's lunch when she couldn't walk any farther or slowing down to keep a fellow walker company along the journey. I witnessed the community come out to cheer us forward, many with their small children, and offer us sustenance to boost our energy as they raised signs thanking us for our efforts. I felt appreciated, acknowledged and supported for doing something important.

Having a shared purpose created an excitement and an alignment of energy that, in turn, created powerful results. Many of us reached beyond our normal capacity and endurance, and achieved what we didn't think was possible.

As business owners, we've heard and read about the power of alignment, of having a shared vision and purpose. Well, I just experienced that power. And I believe in these challenging times, the survival of our businesses may depend, in part, on creating that vision and shared purpose that everyone can rally around.

Barri's blog
Login or register to post comments

Collaborate or Evaporate!

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 11:59.

Collaborate or Evaporate! Who would have guessed that the information age, with all it's hyper-communication thingies, would bring with it so much isolation? We all need human contact, often more than we admit. What better way for busy business owners to relate to other human beings, even sweaty ones, than by participating in a fun, healthy, outdoor event that raises money for a good cause? But there's another important element to these events, perhaps less noticeable: collaboration. By their passionate involvement and support of charities, business owners are increasingly bringing sound business practices to the nonprofit world. For both marketing and operations, traditional ways of doing things are changing. Charity work is no longer the exclusive territory of "ladies who lunch." Driving fundraising is too important. They certainly have a critical role to play, but charities recognize more than ever before that business owners are doers that can make good things happen – better, faster, smarter. In collaboration with every conceivable nonprofit organization, business owners, of companies large and small, are changing the way things get done in the world of philanthropy. Results show it, even in these uncertain times. Working hand-in-glove with the nonprofits' executives and volunteers, business owners across the land are having a positive influence by showing charities how to respond to an almost universal severe drop in contributions. They're doing so by collaborating on new, better ways to raise corporate contributions and to stimulate donor-planned giving. Best marketing and operational practices are finding their way into the foundations arena. It's a tough economy out there. The good people who run and volunteer for charitable causes are more open than ever to help from business savvy people. The charities that continue to passively depend on the "kindness of strangers" are shrinking. Some may eventually evaporate. If you are in business and are looking for a way to beat your sense of isolation and to some meet wonderful people, find a good cause that needs your skills. If you are a charity that is wondering how to respond to the slow motion train wreck that is today's economy, team up with a business owner to develop and implement a better strategy. The benefits are obvious and work both ways: collaborate or evaporate.

GARY DOUGLAS