NOTE: Tom Hanks' Volunteers is a good for a laugh, but not as a promotion for volunteering.
Volunteering is as common as breathing. It is part of our nature. All of us are volunteers in our everyday lives. Children volunteer their time to play with other children, to teach each other a new trick or a game, to help build sand castles and invent new toys. Older kids help each other with homework, social support, relationship advice, and house chores. Adults share their knowledge and help out their families, friends, and strangers. The simplest of gestures such as holding the door or an elevator for someone, or giving up a seat on the bus, or saying a kind word, are all acts of volunteering. No one is forcing us to do these things, but we do them anyway. Some behaviors are conditioned by society or family upbringing, but many come to us naturally because they feel right.
1. Improved health and happiness. Helping others feels good and has been scientifically proven. Volunteering can improve our general mood and make us happier through reducing stress, bonding with other living beings, and appreciating what we already have in relation to others who are less fortunate. It helps us not to take things for granted and may give us a good excuse to exercise more or at least get out of the office.
2. Spreading happiness. Happy people give more. When we help someone we set off a chain reaction that makes the other person more likely to give back to the world in some way. If each one of us made just one other person happy, there wouldn't be any unhappy people in the world.
3. Acquired knowledge. We have to know something before we can teach it. Anyone who has ever had to mentor or tutor someone knows this already. Our understanding of the subject deepens when we attempt to impart that knowledge on someone else, so we grow as a result. In addition, we learn from the general experience of volunteering. We learn how to better communicate, how to motivate others, how to be more patient and caring, and discover new ideas and new abilities that we never knew we had.
4. Mental stimulation. New experiences stimulate the brain. We grow the most when we step outside our comfort zone. When we break away from the same routine our brain thinks about problems in a different way. Being away from the office or home can help us identify new solutions. We may encounter situations through our volunteering that will help us understand our coworkers or families better and gain new perspectives on what we can and should do. Volunteering creates new experiences and positive psychology research indicates that we need new experiences to sustain happiness. Volunteering is a great opportunity to try something completely different from what we have been doing, a new activity, a new community, a new industry. Why not try joining an activity or community that you were always curious about and help people at the same time?
5. Continue the cycle. We all have people in our lives that inspired us to achieve the unachievable. Parents, teachers, friends, colleagues, bosses. These great mentors are not born this way, they are formed through volunteering. We can have a great positive influence on someone else's life too. It is in our own professional interest as well. If we help our employees improve - our employees would produce better work, be more likely to help others and stay with the company longer, and support us should we need their help down the road.
There is a dark side to volunteering. OK, more of a shadow. We should not force our help on others if they are not interested, because that would backfire and cause the opposite effect. We need to understand our own strengths. We should not overburden ourselves with volunteering and give up our own goals. We must still lead our own lives and pursue our own goals. It is about finding a balance.
There were times in my life when I was burned out, because I had given so much of myself to others. I had to recognize that my energy had a limit. I found that medium point now where I can foster growth in others and leave room for my own. It's a fantastic feeling and I hope to share it with you.
So what are you waiting for? Find a great cause and be an inspiration to others!
November is National Novel Writing Month. To celebrate this great idea and to inspire other writers I've shared a presentation I've given on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as part of Master of Fine Arts curriculum at the University of San Francisco.
If you've never read The Lord of the Rings, now is your chance to get an idea of what makes this novel an epic work of fiction. And if you've already read the book, you have an opportunity to revisit moments of intense action and drama. Become inspired and write your own novel.
A look at major themes such as friendship, courage, mercy, and others.
Overview of the craft elements that turned the novel into a world-wide success such as prose that runs like poetry in moments of intense action and feelings.
Out of the wreck rose the Black Rider, tall and threatening, towering above her. With a cry of hatred that stung the very ears like venom he let fall his mace. Her shield was shivered in many pieces, and her arm was broken; she stumbled to her knees. He bent over her like a cloud, and his eyes glittered; he raised his mace to kill.
Elements that are not so well done such characters who are too positive or too negative, simplicity of the good vs. bad, lack of female characters and relationships, and too many beginnings and endings.
"Bree was the chief village of the Bree-land, a small inhabited region, like an island in the empty lands round about."
Frodo keeps the Ring hidden for 17 years, until Gandalf returns to tell him it is the One Ring and he must leave the Shire soon. The hobbits plan Frodo's escape in secret from him. 4 of 5 hobbits leave, get chased by the Black Riders (Nazgul), meet old Tom Bombadil and his wife Goldberry, get rescued from Old Forest trees and Barrow wights by Bombadil and come to Bree.
The Lord of the Rings is not perfect, but its triumphs are many and far outweigh any deficiencies.
The novel is full of fantastic descriptions, even descriptions told through dialogue to highlight the intensity of the action.
Another long screech rose and fell, and he threw himself back again from the wall, panting like a hunted animal. Faint and seemingly remote through that shuddering cry he heard winding up from below the sound of a trumpet ending on a long high note.
Last week we examined five qualities that Gandalf displayed in The Lord of the Rings that highlighted his expertise as a project manager. Here are the rest of the project management lessons Tolkien was kind enough to impart on his readers. (The first five are here).
6. Establish great relationships. Few inhabitants of Middle-earth know of Gandalf's heroic exploits. Gandalf does not try to impress anyone; rather he befriends Middle-earth beings. Gandalf's friends (Gwahir, Shadowfax, Galadriel and others) come to his need in the current project to destroy the One Ring. Gwahir, the King of the Eagles, rescues Gandalf out of Saruman's imprisonment, allowing Gandalf to join the Fellowship of the Ring. Shadowfax, a great horse of Rohan, carries Gandalf across Middle-earth so that Gandalf can prevent the fall of Minas Tirith. Galadriel, the greatest of Elven women, presents members of the Fellowship with invaluable gifts like the Phial that Sam and Frodo use to fight off the giant spider, Shelob.
A successful PM values people, not just immediate goals. Future projects may involve the same people where past positive relationships will be of great help.
7. Do not use same standards to judge those of different skills. Gandalf does not evaluate everyone he meets based on their combat skills, but rather appreciates the unique value they provide. Gandalf is fond of the innkeeper, Barliman Butterbur, for his care and patience and does not think less of Barliman for his slow thinking when he forgets to send Gandalf's letter to Frodo. At the Council of Elrond Gandalf accepts the hobbits Merry and Pippin into the Fellowship of the Ring over such great elf-lords as Glorfindel. Gandalf trusts in the value of hobbits' friendship over the power of Glorfindel, since he knows they will not reach Mount Doom through force, but rather through stealth.
A successful PM needs to know his or her team members' individual strengths and create opportunities for their best skills to be utilized in the project.
8. Lead when above leadership fails. Gandalf accepts a secondary role when it is appropriate such as at the Council of Elrond, but he is not afraid to take charge when needed. At the most crucial moment in the siege of Minas Tirith, Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, goes mad over the apparent death of his son, Faramir. Gandalf could have used that moment to supplant Denethor's authority, but instead he tries to convince Denethor to come to his senses and take an active role and save his city. Only when Denethor refuses to lead does Gandalf assume control over Minas Tirith defenses.
If a project is falling apart due to lack of executive leadership, a PM should first raise the issue with the project sponsor. However, if the problem persists - you should step up and lead.
9. Do the job that nobody else can. In the quest to destroy the One Ring, Gandalf provides benefits that nobody else can, many times throughout his travels. Gandalf smites wolves, keeps the Fellowship warm with his fire in the snows of Caradhras, and leads the group through the dungeons of Moria. However, he is most pressed to decide where to lend his service at the siege of Minas Tirith. Gandalf must either continue to fight the Witch-king of Angmar, the leader of the Nazgul, or run off to save Faramir. Gandalf knows that the Black Captain will likely kill others, but decides to save Faramir, because "no other help can reach him." In the end, Faramir lives because of Gandalf and Eowyn and Merry slay the Black Captain.
You should let others take over your duties when there is a new crucial benefit that only you can provide. Just because a project manager managed a project up to a certain point, does not mean he or she should continue to lead it in exceptional circumstances.
10. Strive for project success above personal gain. The Lord of the Rings novel and movies present us with an extreme but useful example of a project manager, who thinks the success of his project is more important than his ego and even his life. To secure the escape of the rest of the Fellowship, Gandalf stands alone against a great enemy, a Balrog. He is not afraid to die, because the quest to destroy the One Ring is too important to fail. Gandalf slays the Balrog at the cost of his own life. However, this battle and death leads to evolution: Gandalf is then brought back to life to be even more powerful than before.
As a project manager, nurturing and protecting your team at all costs will bring you great rewards in the long run even if you face criticism or difficulty in the short term. Keeping a project’s ultimate goal beyond egos and striving for a greater cause will always be the right thing to do.
When it comes to epic fantasy, The Lord of The Rings, captures our mind with a world rich in history and imagination, noble heroes, terrifying villains, and legendary battles. Tolkien's groundbreaking novel is also full of great examples of smart project management, presented by one of its lead characters, Gandalf the Grey.
Gandalf is many things - a Maiar of Valinor, a Wizard of Middle-earth, a Member of the White Council. Above all he is the great enabler. Gandalf lets his diverse team of elves, dwarves, men, and hobbits do most of the work, while his leadership drives their performance.
Let us examine some of Gandalf's best characteristics in the context of Project Management and what role they play in the success of the project.
1. Do own research to determine project pros/cons. Gandalf does not accept that One Ring is gone from the world per Saruman's advice, despite the fact that Saruman is the head of the White Council (i.e. superior to Gandalf in power and status). Instead, Gandalf goes off to the distant land of Gondor to search ancient scrolls in order to understand the peril and power of the One Ring and verify that it is indeed in Bilbo Baggins' possession. Gandalf can easily let someone else research this task or simply accept Saruman's reasoning, but he wants to be sure. This project is too important to leave questions unanswered as the fate of the entire world depends on it.
A successful PM needs to be very sure about the project he/she seeks to undertake.
2. Gather all stakeholder inputs to set the plan for the project. Gandalf does not attempt to take a leading role at the Council of Elrond, but allows all stakeholders (elves, men, dwarves, and hobbits) to share their thoughts on the One Ring. As part of this open discussion a clear decision emerges that the One Ring must be destroyed and the only place to destroy it is in the fires of Mount Doom in the land of Mordor. The resources for the project are identified as the Nine Walkers of the Fellowship of the Ring. Since no army can enter Mordor by force, their plan is set for secrecy.
A successful PM must enable open communication and consider all stakeholder inputs in planning the project.
3. Do not delay if everything cannot be planned out. Gandalf sets out the initial plan to travel across the Misty Mountains and travel south. They spend time in Rivendell to gather provisions and await word from Rangers on the Nazgul, the Black Riders, so that the Fellowship can be certain to set out in secret with no Black Riders on their trail. Gandalf does not know the exact path the Fellowship should take to Mordor. It is likely they won't know which way would be safest until they get closer to Mordor. Gandalf plans out their path as much as he can, but he does not wait for a fruitless hope to materialize and present him with the full path to Mordor.
A successful PM must plan before acting, but should not needlessly delay taking action.
4. Join the team in the trenches. Nobody forces Gandalf to join the Fellowship of the Ring. He can instruct the Fellowship members on their journey and send them off on their quest. Instead, Gandalf joins the group and endures the hardships of their journey with the rest of the team. The Fellowship stays united and motivated under his leadership, but falls apart when he is lost in Moria.
A successful PM needs to be a part of the team and not direct them from afar.
5. Take the ego out of the project. Gandalf ensures the quest to Mordor is not about any member of the Fellowship, but about the completion of the project. The Fellowship is full of powerful personalities, such as Aragorn (heir to Gondor), Boromir (Captain-General of Gondor), Legolas (Prince of the Wood Elves), Gimli (of the royal line of the dwarves), Frodo (the Ring-bearer), and of course, the great Gandalf himself. Yet, Gandalf ensures that even the other hobbits (Sam, Merry, and Pippin) are treated as equal members of the Fellowship and their contributions are valued.
A successful PM must ensure the team is dedicated to the project, not to their individual glory.
Click here for the next five Project Management lessons from Gandalf!
Have you noticed how much respect people generally carry in the office when they appear to be busy or stressed all the time?
Too often do we judge people on their appearance rather than on the work that they actually produce. As managers we need to stay grounded in results and not the appearance of progress. Take a look at the snippet of George Costanza's character on Seinfeld. Does George remind you of someone you know, a colleague, a friend, or a family member?
Have you ever put off contacting a colleague because of how annoyed he or she appeared to be?
Immediately, we associate these character traits with the amount of effort that people put forth in their jobs, doubly so if people are valued for showing up early or being the last ones at the office. However, this doesn't always mean that these individuals are the ones that produce the most for the company.
As managers, we need to pay attention to the facts of whether such employees produce results that are expected of them and not on the appearance of how hard they appear to work or how long they stay at the office. Let us remember Parkinson's Law: work expands so as to fill the time available.
I experienced this several times throughout my own career, particularly at Progeny, where I felt I was working 24 hours non-stop for many years. It was extremely stressful and challenging, but strangely rewarding as well. In the past I had garnered the respect of my peers with the work I produced. Now even my superiors hesitated before entering my office or asking me to take on a new task. I felt more empowered than ever and yet something did not sit right. I sensed a new barrier in place between me and my colleagues.
It is not for me to judge whether I succeeded in offering help and advice to my peers as before, but I certainly made time and myself available for them. I did not want to become this busybody that intimidates everyone around him with the appearance of activity and stress. I often found it difficult to put on a smile, but it was definitely worth the effort and helped me maintain great relationships even in the worst of times.
As managers we need to manage our subordinates' times well. We don't need to make them look busy. We only need to ensure they are challenged and engaged in their work. It is our job to build and maintain an environment where the workers are happy and excited, not busy and angry.
Thanks to extensive research in recent years we can safely say that happier employees are more productive.