People. Passion. Purpose. Perhaps Two Separate Worlds Have More In Common Than We Think

When I was a student at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, a career in business made sense. It was what I was working for, after all. But back then, if someone had told me I’d be leading an effort to help others fight a deadly disease with the same passion and determination I use to fight challenges in business, I would have never thought so.

And yet, that’s exactly what reality turned out to be. When I was nominated as a contender for the “Man Of The Year” by the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS) a few months ago, it was an honor, of course.

It was also a chance to reflect on the surprising parallels between corporate America and its corresponding not-for-profit space:

#1 It’s Still About People

Philanthropic organizations are not any more about donations than schools are about desks. Sure, donations are the vehicles that mobilize philanthropic causes. But at the root of all of them are people.

Not-for-profit organizations like the Leukemia Lymphoma Society help solve problems for people. Businesses also solve problems and create opportunities for people. If you are to succeed in either, you need to see the human being at the center, rather than at the periphery.

I wouldn’t have succeeded in my work with the LLS if I believed donations were more important than the science fighting disease. Or for that matter, that some cancer patients suffer more than others.

Similarly, in contrast to the ‘staffing’ approach of ranking talent binomially, businesspeople need to appreciate the beauty of a deeper, more qualitative assessment. Understand that every stakeholder makes a contribution to the ecosystem, whether that’s in a laboratory. Or a fundraiser. Or a boardroom.

What about parallels #2, 3, 4 and 5? Visit this space next week to find out!