I am sure that every manager, business owner, entrepreneur, net-worker, team builder, religious leader, non-profit director… has faced the issue of loyalty at some point or other.

Loyalty is the end-goal of a well-traveled mountain path littered by barriers and detours.

I’m just sounding off on the topic, as I ponder on this after 2 years of developing and overseeing the growth of a non-profit. The core program of the non-profit is to provide community relief in the sector of housing counseling; with ancillary programs of youth development, community education, and food drives.

The initial mission was targeted towards youth development, but as the housing crisis blossomed the need for housing counseling services grew. Without a fund raising portal to hold the foundation together, the need to create a work program around the counseling service was identified.

We brought in the first core of close acquaintances and taught them in the areas of marketing, team building and housing counseling. Providing countless hours of training via website information, conference calls, quarterly training and many selfless one on one session.

Many people came through the unseen doors of The Helpful Hands Foundation receiving more than they ever gave. Some were in foreclosure and learned key points on home preservation and lender requirements. Many were at the doors of court houses and were empowered with hope; armed with confidence and knowledge they were able to talk to judges and attorneys and restore home ownership.

In a period of two years over 1,000 people were saved from foreclosure.

In those same two years we watched over 600 people come into the housing counseling work program of the non profit and… we watched them leave. People were paid on commission. What ever money came in for services was all disbursed back to the counselors. Incentive was built into the same commission so that managers can rise and build teams and get compensated for helping the non profit grow and train more counselors. This effort would maximize the community outreach.

Today The Helpful Hands nonprofit organization survives on hope, the income generated barely covers the office and overhead.

What pains me is that those that have been brought into the inner circle claim to want to help… but money is their boss. Not loyalty to a cause.

The Cause at The Helpful Hands Foundation: Helping People. The motto: “helping one hand at a time”
How do we help? Through service.

Many say they will support you … but that support comes when they pay their bills. Does your opportunity help fill other peoples pocket?

Is your organization filling a need? What kind of need? Does it create jobs? Does it fill an emotional need? Does it educate others?

I still find myself with the initial question, how does a non profit create loyalty when income margin is based on volume? People helping people. What a novelty: people helping people!!?

Why would anyone want to join a non profit and help it grow (or church, company, team etc)?

Again, I find myself at the mercy of God defining my mission as one that serves the many. Reminding myself that if I share my knowledge, my love, my compassion then in His wisdom I will be blessed.

If you are a leader and believe in your company, if you believe in its mission statement, if you believe in touching peoples lives… then let that define you. Become the best at your trade whether it be leadership, recruiter, trainer, manager.

If you are a leader and believe in the money your position can attract. Then let that define you and follow the money.

Don’t stay in a company where you will not be fulfilled (whether you are the founder or a manager).

If you are a hiring manager, recruiter or trainer (church leader, business owner etc)- remember you are influencing the make-up of the organization by the people you bring and train; and it is a privilege to be a mentor to someone. The opportunity of interaction and giving to another human being is priceless.

I have learned that many people place ZERO value on knowledge that is given freely or even emotional goodwill they receive from a kindred spirit. If they don’t see it with their eyes, if they can’t touch the results with their hands you just haven’t done enough for them.

I have been a trainer for over 25 years and I’ve embraced with much pain the lesson from the above sentence and practice the Catch and Release philosophy.

Many walked through doors of The Helpful Hands Foundation and this has allowed me to be on many Catch and Release expeditions; in these expeditions some were saved from foreclosure, others were hungry and were fed, and I’m not talking just about food… I’m talking about knowledge. Knowledge that now is theirs to grow and share with others.

The Helpful Hands Foundation the non profit that changes peoples lives.

Perhaps one day we will find a few good people that will help it grow.

Your actions will soon DEFINE… YOU.

What if you hunger for more than what your current circumstances dictate? Who would you turn to for guidance, who can you say this very minute in your immediate circle has attained the type of goal you are seeking?

And what if you could take your friends on the adventure so that they can join with you on the ride to success and self discovery?

I had that opportunity a few days ago. I attended an event where inspiring leaders convened under one roof to share their secrets to success. Tamara Lowe has done an extraordinary job in hosting one of the biggest motivation seminars across the country.. and who would have known that she started all this as a meeting planner… what heck of a meeting!

Great people such as:

Zig Ziglar: Embrace The Struggle (from the online blog)

Zig Ziglar, my father, is in a struggle right now—a struggle so profound and so real that by sharing it with you, I believe you will be filled with hope and encouragement. The gift that God has given Dad is the gift of encouragement and the ability to transfer hope to others so that they can rise above whatever circumstance they are in. As Dad has always said, “Getting knocked down in life is a given. Getting up, starting from where you are and moving forward, is a choice.”

On March 7, 2007, our family experienced what Dr. James Dobson calls “a suddenly.” I was out of town when I got the call. I went numb as I listened to my sister Cindy’s voice. “Dad fell down the stairs. He has a serious head injury.” Suddenly, our family joined millions of other families facing similar circumstances, and life became very different. Dad, at eighty years of age, lost the vitality for which he was renowned, he no longer moved with the energy and agility of even a sixty-five-year-old man. Almost overnight he aged fifteen-plus years and, thus, began his struggle to live with and overcome the effects of a brain injury.

Colin Powell: American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W. Bush. He was the first African American appointed to that position.

Rudy Giuliani: Giuliani gained international attention for his leadership, during and after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Robert Shculler: Dr. Robert H. Schuller’s positive messages are a source of strength and hope, motivating and encouraging people of all nationalities, races, creeds and faiths. He is a pastor, speaker, motivator and author appreciated by countless millions worldwide for his ability to encourage and inspire.

Lou Holtz: “Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.”

Krish Dhanam: A native of India , he arrived in the United States with nine dollars in his pocket and a vision of promise in his heart. The American Dream from an Indian Heart is the unfolding of that journey and its hidden promise. In a practical and informative way, Krish showcases how the American Dream is still alive and well.

Want to get more out of life? Find out what your Motivational DNA is: CLICK HERE

Daisy Says: You can go to all the great seminars and workshops but if you want to experience change it will not come for you until you make a decision to get motivated about discovering you!

Give others the best of you, do more of what you like and others will enjoy you at your best, others will sense this and be drawn to you.

Which brings me to the next point: Passion
Attractive qualities in people are often tied into passion. If your life has meaning and a purpose as opposed to simply allowing yourself to become a ‘floater’, it’s far more attractive to others.

Success is something you attract by becoming an attractive person. (Jim Rohn)

Adding to the attraction factor is your ability to improve your communication skills. You don’t need to be an extrovert. However, by sharing your passions with others yet, more importantly, being a good listener and showing a genuine interest in what others have to say, is a great way to be more attractive. Effective listening skills can never be underestimated when it comes to how to be a more attractive person. Remember, the only way to get what you want, is to help others get what they want. And since everyone wants to feel good, to feel important, and to be listened to, why not facilitate this by really listening when someone is talking, by being interested, by asking questions, and by talking about the things the other person wants to talk about.

Not only will they be more likely to be interested in what you have to say, but you might even learn something new in the process.

Finally, one can never say enough about having a Positive Outlook On Life
A smile costs nothing and will usually always brighten up someone’s day (even when things may not always be going your way)

Daisy Says: The energy you put out in life is the energy you get back.

Fostering teamwork is really important to me. In my years as a police officer every day teamwork was paramount; police officers are exposed to myriads of situations where the body of a team is needed for the survival of the one.

Every person in the team is vital, from the police officer responding to a crisis, to the back up that is needed to maintain the peace, the dispatcher ensuring that units are dispatched to proper locations, sergeants that are aware of the zone and where each of the police officers are etc etc.

At The Helpful Hands Foundation we are very fortunate that the minds and souls that have come together share this value and together we create a work culture that values collaboration.

In a teamwork environment, people recognize, and even assimilate, the belief that “none of us is as good as all of us.” (High Five)

The Helpful Hands Foundation values diverse people, ideas, backgrounds, and experiences. Embracing the understanding and belief that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done through cooperation.

Without Presenters and Event Coordinators the community is not enriched.
Without Field Counselors the Mitigation Team would have nothing to do.
Without the Mitigation Team, Field Counselors would not be effective.
Without the Leadership Team addressing concerns and challenges as they arise, the functions become stressful.
Without the Organization the task of serving the many becomes insurmountable.

Team Work is the reason for our success, “helping one hand at a time” starts with each member helping each other through the challenges as they arise. This energy of GOODWILL is received by those that we serve.

Daisy Says: It is not about the one success, it is about the WHOLE succeeding in helping the one.

Sharing and laughing is a key part of our culture.

Our THHF 2009 Third Quarter Training had a great turnout and left members wanting more!

Daisy Says: Be open to learning new things, mostly be open to teach others what you know through example.