The real magic happens when you empower and engage managers and individual contributors from multiple departments to do the heavy lifting. What a great way to get colleagues who would normally not interact with one another working together toward a common goal. Once team members see what they can accomplish together for the United Way, just imagine what they can do together to build your business! Oh, and running a campaign also has the knock on effect of introducing your colleagues to the personal benefits of philanthropy and giving back to the community! Win-win.

You might be asking, what does this have to do with business? The answer is that organizational health relies heavily on the net giver status of the employee population. If everyone is operating as a net taker, then team dynamics will suffer, fiefdoms will be built, and everyone will be looking over their shoulder for the next jab in the back. Trust cannot flourish in a net taker environment. In contrast, if you foster a culture of net giving, then alignment around goals becomes easier, teamwork and collaboration become the norm, and the success of the organization becomes a shared mindset.

This coming Tuesday is “Giving Tuesday,” where charitable organizations around the world make appeals for year-end contributions. My ask of you today is to include your local United Way in your philanthropic plans as we close out 2022.

My main point is this: philanthropic events are a team sport. They are a place where “we” should apply before “me.” Therefore, when providing feedback regarding your individual experience, pause to ensure you’re providing constructive, actionable advice for how to improve.

Please make the time today to fill out the paperwork with your employer to support the United Way in your community through automated payroll deduction. If your employer does not run a United Way campaign, then (a) donate directly on their website, and (b) encourage your company’s human resources leader to reach out to your local United Way and get a campaign started.

The practice of giving will create a deep well of experiences that you’ll be able to tap into to bring the emotion of gratitude into the foreground. When you’re grateful, the emotions of anger, resentment, and jealousy have less room to cloud your mind. Perspective and balance become easier to achieve and maintain. The path back to balance after unexpected shocks and change events also becomes more straightforward.