Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • September 4, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 21 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM POLL LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULT: NEXT WEEK'S POLL: Is Bradley International your preferred airport for business travel? To vote, go online to hartfordbusiness.com Is Hartford a college town? 73.6% No 26.4% Yes READER COMMENTS: "Not yet but with proper planning of logistics, aesthetics, technology, housing, dining/entertainment, security and transportation there is no reason it can't be quickly. It is prime for it with a little intelligent forethought." "Now it's starting to be and that is promising for Hartford." COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS In times of crisis, Millennials, others must step up nonprofit support By Mae Maloney A s the state of Connecticut slips further into financial uncertainty and as Hartford contemplates bankruptcy, the organizations that provide sup- portive services for our community members are more important than ever. Nonprofit organizations, by principal and policy, are dedicated to the common good and deliver important services that would otherwise be the responsibil- ity of our fiscally stressed governments or for-profit businesses. Nonprofits provide emergency housing for families plunged into homelessness; many programs enhance children's education; other groups focus on ensuring marginalized populations are supported, while still others protect our green spaces and animals. Without nonprofits our communities would be vastly different, and I wager, far less valuable and rewarding for the people who live there. As funding sources are reduced or even eliminated, nonprofits rely heavily on the generosity of volunteers for their time, talent and financial support. Without volunteers many nonprofits would no longer be able to provide these critical services. Some would cease to exist. Individuals know that giving back to the community is important, not only to make their neighborhoods stronger, but also for their personal and professional develop- ment. Volunteering leverages and expands skills and networks and builds a sense of community. Each year individuals contribute their skills to ensuring nonprofits are supported. Millennials, in particular, are interested in and dedicated to community service. In fact, the Mil- lennials Civic Health Index found that Millennials volunteer at higher rates than past generations. Community service can take many forms — serving as a mentor, building homes, serv- ing meals in a homeless shelter. Serving on a nonprofit board of directors is a particularly powerful way to build professional networks, develop leadership skills and contribute meaningfully to the community. Volunteer service can channel one's pas- sion about a cause or community issue with which one has a personal connection into exciting and meaningful action. A board member of an organization focusing on homelessness recently said, "Serving on this board of directors has helped me feel excited to be involved in my community. I know that I make a difference, and I am proud of the work the organization does. I feel honored to play a role in the expansion of services this organization provides and am grateful for the opportunity." I am a Millennial and have had the privi- lege of serving on several nonprofit boards. Most recently I served on the board of a small organization that provided permanent sup- portive housing for people impacted by HIV/ AIDS. The experience provided me with an op- portunity to expand my leadership skills and a chance to make a lasting and impactful dif- ference in the lives of individuals and families who were associated with the organization. During my three years on the board, the or- ganization experienced periods of both oppor- tunity and challenge. There were significant budget shortfalls and staff transitions. There were various crises to address, new programs and fundraising strategies to implement, and a new strategic vision to carry forward, which, in the end, included merging with a much larger statewide organization. Often people think that board members are all corner-office executives with deep pockets and powerful connections. While some boards do look for these types of can- didates, most look for people who are pas- sionate about the work they do and bring a willingness to contribute their best to the work of the organization. Many nonprofit organizations are looking for Millennials to join their boards as they recognize this is a generation with fresh ideas, an understanding of social media and passion to make a difference. Others look for candidates who represent particular backgrounds, skillsets, socioeconomic dif- ferences and varying demographics. Serving on a nonprofit board provides an opportunity to take direct action, make decisions, have ownership and contribute meaningfully to a community challenge. This community service takes volunteering to a new level that benefits the people organiza- tions serve, the communities in which they live and the volunteers themselves. This is a win-win-win needed more today than ever before. Mae Maloney is the program director for the Leaders On Board program at Leadership Greater Hartford. Mae Maloney BIZ BOOKS How to eliminate 90% of your HR problems By Jim Pawlak "The Power of People Skills — How to Elimi- nate 90% of Your HR Problems and Dramati- cally Increase Team and Company Morale and Performance" by Trevor Throness (Career Press, $16.99). When things are planned and plans are executed, the outcome depends on the employees assigned to "make it happen" at the front and back ends. The employees charged with driving success are divided into three categories: 1. Stars who own their jobs 2. Those who simply do their jobs, and 3. Deadwood. While many businesses trim the deadwood quickly, they seldom are willing to recognize the difference between stars and job-doers. Throness highlights that difference by citing the Container Store's "winning equation: one great person = three good people." With that as the lead-in, he believes that employees are the most valuable assets of any business because they represent its intellectual capital. Given that, leaders at all levels must answer four staff assessment questions to assess whether their employ- ees are stars or job-doers: 1. "Would you hire the employee again?" 2. "Does the employee minimize or add to your stress?" "How would you feel if the employee quit? 3. "If every team member played at the employee's level, would the team be upgraded or down- graded?" 4."Would it be difficult to find a replacement?" The answers will allow you to define the traits of your stars (attitude will usually be No. 1) and identify what can be done (i.e. training, coaching) to develop job-doers into stars. They'll also tell you what to look for in new hires and how to bring them onboard. Here, Throness emphasizes attitude, too, which needs to be part of the firm's culture. He's not talking about mission and value statements that no one remembers. He's talking about the way the company does business (e.g. trusting relationships, think it through, do it now, make everything a "WOW," find better ways, etc.) because employees can relate to these on a daily basis. The Bottom Line: The business with few stars never achieves its potential. The "Innovation Landscape Survey" in Appendix A and the "Opportunity Tem- plate" in Appendix B will help you craft your game plan. Jim Pawlik Book Review

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