I have been riding motorcycles for more than 50 years; it is what I do for pure enjoyment. In 2013, I had the opportunity to check off the item in the top spot on my Biker Bucket List; a 32-day, 34-state, 13,000-mile solo motorcycle ride along the perimeter of the United States.
But before ever rolling on the throttle, I was introduced to The Boot Campaign, an organization founded by five Texas women with a mission to provide support and services to active duty military, veterans and their families. Inspired by their commitment to give back and fueled with a renewed sense of purpose, my ride transformed into more than a road trip. It became a personal calling to help individuals and organizations find meaningful ways to give back in the communities where they, live, work, and meet.
We know that giving back makes us feel better, but when we try to connect what we do from the heart and make the business case for its value to an organization’s bottom line; it’s fair to ask if giving back is actually good business?
That’s a conversation I began in earnest a few years ago with an industry colleague, Rowan Pickering of The Event Team, to find better opportunities to make a sustainable and transferrable impact on team culture and performance. At the time, both of our companies offered traditional team-building activities, but we concluded that “team building” had become just another buzzword for an “attempt” to boost a sense of unity, belonging and purpose, but actually provided no real structure or transformation other than creating “winners and losers.”
Traditional team-building exercises focus primarily on competition and fun, but are too generic to address specific organizational needs or support team growth. Usually, whatever results are accomplished in the moment fades and is forgotten once everyone returns to their routine work environment.
An organization is only as strong as its culture, and developing the skills, knowledge, work ethic, health and team mindset of its people is serious business. The experts agree:
- A Harvard Business Review study revealed fostering effective teamwork and instilling a strong sense of purpose boosts greater levels of employee belonging, commitment and engagement.
- Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends Report reported companies that actively cultivate a sense of community and purpose are more likely to retain top talent.
- In his book “Team of Teams,” General Stanley McChrystal, former Commander of U.S. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), stresses the importance of intentional culture and mission in building effective teams
Crafting adaptable experiences that generate a feeling that people are doing something meaningful and making a difference in the lives of others (and themselves) became what Rowan and began calling “Team-Giving.” It was a concept we decided to adopt and promote through a “Cause Business” alliance we named “2 Guys Doing Good.”
Read More: Togetherness Through Team Building
Today, we’re aligned with almost 100 charitable organizations providing resources for food insecurity, homelessness, literacy, disaster relief, health, wellness, and the environment through partnerships with service clubs, hospitals, senior living centers, veteran service organizations and animal shelters, just to name a few. The need is great, the opportunities are infinite, and the return on investment is powerfully gratifying.
If you’re bringing people together through meetings and events to connect, learn and improve; it’s important to provide them with the opportunity to work together on a project that when completed will fundamentally change someone else’s life in an immensely positive way. And we always want whatever participants build, assemble and customize to stay local, because we want the “goodness” to benefit the destination.
Some of our favorite activations are In the Doghouse (pet shelters), Bee Good (community garden hives), Wheelchairs for Warriors (veteran mobility), Uke Can Do It (music therapy instruments), Community Connections (Lego art for autism), Saddle-Up (rocking horses), Seasons of Service (holiday stockings), and BIG Box of Smiles (children’s hospitals).
We always finish the “heart thing,” a wow moment on-site that underscores the impact of doing good. Often, recipients will participate, thanking everyone involved and explaining how their contribution will enhance and enable others’ life journey. It really is the most meaningful moment of the entire experience.
Read More: 5 Ways to Build Community Loyalty
The engagement produces some very tangible value propositions, as both customers and employees alike view the experience as one changes lives and builds community. A Team-Giving culture is also a major point of company differentiation; studies confirm nearly 90% of consumers would switch to a brand aligned with a cause.
The “bottom-line”: The outcome (the juice) of those efforts assessed against the effort (the squeeze) to produce them absolutely makes good business sense.
2 Guys Doing Good connects good people with great causes to make a real difference in the world through meetings and events. There’s no better feeling than being a bucket filler and force multiplier for goodness.
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Steven G. Foster, CMP, is One Man, on One Motorcycle with One Mission: to help others fuel their personal and professional lives with Passion, Power and Purpose; creating what he calls “Full-Throttle Leadership.” An award-winning speaker, author and business consultant, Steven is managing partner of Foster+Fathom, a Leadership and Goodness Development Group in Dallas, Texas.
Steven’s leadership principle is simple; “Your outlook always determines your outcome, so go “Full-Throttle.” That’s no surprise, considering he also is a Harley-Davidson LIFE member who in 2013 completed a 32, day, 34-state, 13,000-mile solo motorcycle ride along the perimeter of the U.S. to raise awareness and support for America’s military; a journey he chronicles in his book, “Full-Throttle Leadership: Passion, Power & Purpose on the Edge of America.” Contact Steven at stevenfoster@foster-fathom.com or at foster-fathom.com
