What Can One Person Do?

When I first watched An Inconvenient Truth, I remember feeling so overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed, heartbroken, angry, frustrated.  The situation with the environment is so dire.  I just sat and cried.

Have you ever felt like that?  Have you ever cared about changing something, fixing something, preserving something – felt it down to your core but felt small and powerless to make any real impact. 

Have you ever said, but I’m just me.  What can one person do?  How do I move from frustration to action?

So, what can one person do?  Actually a lot.  I believe that we all share a common purpose as humans:  we’re here to make the world a better place.  There was a sign at a local school recently that read:  the heart beats strongest when it beats for others. 

Not everyone can have or is going to have a global impact.  Perhaps making the world a better place starts in your home with your children or your local community.  There are so many wonderful ways that people are taking action and making a difference.  This is one case where size doesn’t matter – only intention and commitment.  The key is to take action on something that’s meaningful to you.

In 1980 Candy Lightner’s 13 year old daughter was killed by a repeat drunk driver.  Out of her grief and rage came Mothers Against Drunk Driving, one of the largest and most influential grassroots organizations in the country.

More Magazine is running a contest this year highlighting women who have found ways to create jobs for other women.  Contestants so far have included a woman who founded a non-profit organization that helps low income women in Northern California start successful businesses.  Another women has started an employment agency specializing in finding part-time jobs for moms who want to work out of their homes. 

So it’s possible for one person to make a big difference.  But what can you do?  You’ve got a full time job, a family, hobbies - a really full life.  You’ve got so much of so many things… except spare time.  There are multiple ways you can take action and make difference. 

First, make a contribution:  There are worthy organizations working on solving almost any problem you can think of. 

Contribute money.   Non profits are always grateful for donations big and small.  Contributions, though, aren’t just about money.  What else do you have to give? The Humane Society has a large volunteer program.  So do hospitals. 

Another way to make a difference is to be a spark.  Find your voice by activating your voice.  Do you have an idea?  Can you rally friends to take action?  Perhaps clean up and refurbish a park, or take a group of neighbors to a city council or school board meeting to make your views known.   One of my favorite quotes is from Margaret Mead:  A small group of thoughtful people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. 

Lastly, be a role model.  You don’t have to single-handedly change the world.  Just change someone’s world.  Raise a wonderful, caring child.  Or be a mentor, either professionally or through organizations like Boys and Girls clubs. 

The action you take may change at different points in your life.  At times it may be all you can do to write a check.  At other times, you may be able to participate in a more hands-on way.  Don’t judge, just do what you can.

What can one person do?  A lot.

What can YOU do?  It depends, but I hope I’ve given you some ideas around making a contribution, being a spark, and being a role model.

The key question is:  what WILL you do?

I challenge you that whatever you’re currently doing to make the world a better place, be proud of your efforts but kick it up a notch.  It’s not too late to get started, and we’ll all benefit.   

3 Steps To A Career Makeover

Are you looking for a new job, thinking about looking for a new job, or just want to step it up in your current job?  It may be time for a make over.  Not the kind of makeover where you get a new haircut or buy new clothes.  I’m talking about changing how you present yourself at work. 

To present yourself differently, you need to see yourself differently.  Here are three ways to stand out from the crowd:

First, understand your strengths and structure everything around them. 

If you don’t know your strengths, head to the bookstore right now and buy a copy of StrengthsFinder 2.0.  Take the assessment and download the detailed report, which contains some great coaching for how to develop your natural talents.  Then write down three examples from your current or recent jobs where you’ve demonstrated each of your 5 top talent themes.  If you’re having trouble with this, ask your coworkers.

When I first took StrengthsFinder, my top talent theme was ‘strategic.’  I couldn’t see it.  After all, I didn’t have “Strategy” in my job title, and it felt presumptuous to say my top strength was being strategic.  When I asked my staff, they just laughed.  One person said, “Are you kidding?  You get this look on your face, you start waving your hands around, then you fill up a white board, and we have our work for the next two years.”  OK, that sounded strategic. 

The key to personal success is to do more of what you like to do, and we like to do what we’re naturally good at doing.  Think about it.  Wouldn’t you like to be paid well for doing what you love?

To move in this direction, you need to be conscious of your strengths and build around them.  That includes everything from the direction of your career to your daily activities, your resume, and examples you discuss in job interviews and performance reviews. 

Second, understand, acknowledge, and appreciate the value you create.

How do you create value?  Oftentimes, people aren’t conscious of this, like our strengths.  It’s so ingrained that we just take it for granted.  It’s invisible.  We’re focused on what we do because we’re driven by our calendars, to do lists, and the demands of others. 

When you’re in a job that’s an expression of your passion and purpose, you’re very aware of the value you create. Unfortunately not many of us have that kind of job…yet. 

Think back over your work experience and look for themes. Do you consistently:

Increase productivity?

Improve/contribute to teamwork or resolve conflicts?

Streamline a processes or procedures?

Identify needs or problems and initiate solutions?

Save time and money?

Function as an expert?

Make order out of chaos?

Bring people together around a common goal?

Come up with creative ideas? 

Focus on your contribution, not your job responsibilities and tasks.  When you begin to recognize and acknowledge your own value, others will, too.

I had a client who really struggled to see her value.  When I asked what her contribution was to her organization, she said that she keeps people’s spirits up.  She remembers peoples’ birthdays and did the holiday party planning.  Even to her it sounded junior once she said it out loud.  But we dug deeper and saw that she built strong relationships across the organization that resulted in people being willing to go the extra mile to help out with one of her projects if needed.  She went from having a self-image of a junior ‘party girl’ to someone who forged and maintained cross-functional relationships.  This changed her whole view of herself, her job, and her contribution.

Third, be your authentic self.

In a highly competitive job market where there are two or more candidates with the same experience, the person who lets their self come through is more likely to connect with the hiring manager and therefore more likely to get the offer.

Making a connection requires vulnerability.  Dare to put yourself out there with no guarantees.  Risk a connection.  It’s scary!  Do it anyway.

Patricia Fripp, one of the country’s top public speakers said,  “You’re hired more for who you are then what you know.”  She was talking about professional speakers, but I feel this is a truism across the board.