If your organization hasn’t discovered its “brand essence” or “voice” yet, it’s time to gather all hands on deck to chart a new course through the Sea of Change.
And while we’re at it, let’s rebrand Corporate Social Responsibility or Corporate Citizenship to Global Stewardship. Corporate Citizenship isn’t just for corporations — whether your business is a one-person shop or a global giant, global stewardship doesn’t have a preference for size over substance. All one needs to succeed is a few passionate deck hands and support from the top, to get the ship out of the harbor.
If your company doesn’t have a program just yet, here are five compelling reasons to develop one today. Global stewardship programs:
1. Empower employees with purpose. This might seem like a no-brainer, but purpose is important to employee productivity. As employees watch the stock market perform its daily aerobics and the focus shifts from work to worry about jobs and the future — employees need a reason to stay centered and focused on tasks at hand. Give them one by engaging them in a mission they care about. Having a clear purpose will always bring people back to center, and having an energized workforce will enable your company to continue its forward direction.
- Shift mindsets from fear to hope. Believe it or not, what we choose to focus on does makes a difference. What would you rather have your employees engaged in? Fear and uncertainty? Or an invitation to hope? The results will be obvious. But, the choice is up to you.
3. Teach activism over victimization. As one might imagine, change agents are far better prepared to handle the open seas when the going gets rough, than deck hands who live in fear and hide. When employees receive the tools they need to ride the waves, both your company and society benefits. Can you think of a few ways you can empower your crew to navigate its own Sea of Change?
4. Unite collective groups around a common cause. It sounds like a no-brainer, but one of the first tangibles to go when a workforce is fearful is teamwork; employees don’t just covet their jobs, they covet the jobs of their teammates, too. However, when employees are united around a common cause, morale stays high and lines of communication remain open — keeping fear at bay. List two ways you can help keep fear at bay by strengthening communication and bonds of connection.
5. Make a difference. Not surprisingly, at the end of the day, most employees want to feel valued, respected and heard. They also want to leave a footprint in the world, to let the world know they were here. Empower your employees to do just that with a Global Stewardship program, so that even when challenging times visit, employees have the skills, mindset and dignity to tackle their next great adventure.
