Do What You Love, and Do It With Happy People

Social impact is exploding. People care. They care a lot, and they care constantly. They care so much that it will warm your heart to no end, and you will want to go out there and give all of yourself to the things that you care about. 

Except, we often don’t want to talk about the logistics. We have these holistic images in our head, of smiling faces and people of all backgrounds holding hands. Yet, we’re reluctant to quantify what exactly we would like to do, and none of us want to face the fact that, if we don’t, then we may not end up having much of an impact at all.

That is not to say that the little things don’t count anymore. When Emily Pang, COO of SickKids Foundation, paid a visit to Goodes Hall this January, she was very clear that the little things are just as important as they always were. As she put it, “everything can add up to a greater impact than you think it can.”

People want to do good, but as the future leaders of the public sector, the private sector, and every place where they intersect, it is our fundamental responsibility to harness this good into meaningful change. We have been blessed with the skills and connections that will allow us, or have already allowed us, to have a voice that people listen to. Among other things, Ms Pang delivered a call to action during her time here.

If you are reading this, it is likely that you are obtaining your Certificate in Social Impact. The problem is that not-for-profit organisations, government agencies, and CSR departments across Canada, are filled with people who are blinded by this idea of altruism. With your Certificate in one hand, and your diploma in the other, it is your job to provide the technical infrastructure and expertise that has been lacking in these environments.

That sounds boring, I know. But it’s why you’re here.

There are more important things than money, but money talks. It is up to you to find the financial resources that you need to carry out your vision. For Ms Pang, who is instrumental to running one of the largest not-for-profits in Canada, this means finding donors. Lots of donors. While it may seem like people care, it is becoming more and more difficult to find individuals who will put a dollar towards the thing they care about. 30% of all charitable donations in Canada come from the top 1% of the population. People are giving less.

Have you ever ignored someone standing outside a Shopper’s Drug Mart with a coin box and a banner? Have you ever denied Wikipedia the small donation that it politely asks for every few months? I have, and just about everyone else has. 

On donors – it is up to us to reach them. It is up to us to engage them. It is up to us to demonstrate that we are using their donations effectively, so that we may keep doing the things that we love.

Beyond money, though, regardless of how much you have of it, you will never get anything done unless you fully appreciate the hands that are putting these dollars to action. Canadian volunteers work hours that equate to the time of 1 million paid employees each year. The role of volunteers should never be taken lightly.

On volunteers – you, yourself, should be giving your time. You should also be appreciating when others give their time. More importantly, you should never be precious about why people are doing good deeds. There are selfish reasons to contribute to a cause – high school volunteer hours, or perhaps those hours that you need to gain this very marketable Certificate in Social Impact – but the good that is done, is still good. Don’t discount it.

On just about everything else – it is up to us to do the things that we love in a responsible manner. You have been given the gift of an education that will allow you to develop the skills necessary to do just about anything that you would like to do. You will do amazing things, and people will hold you to a high standard. Don’t let them down. Do your due diligence. All those reports and figures that seem insignificant, and that don’t seem to line up with what you thought change would look like – do not ignore them. They are fundamental to growing your passion.

Before leaving us to return to the busy, and high-pressure world of trying to raise $1.3 billion to build a new hospital for SickKids, Ms Pang left us with a few pieces of advice. While she is just as intimidatingly successful and inspiring as every other speaker that we have had the pleasure of hosting, I couldn’t help but feel more connected to her words, as they came from a Commerce ’89 grad. 

1. Be kind. You can hear it over and over again, but it will never stop being true. It is quite easy to make things easy on others, and you never know what the person beside you is going through at that very moment. Why not back off for a second?
2. Do not be uncivil. Incivility is a bug. In the corporate world, it hinders judgement, disengages people, and reduces productivity. Everywhere else, it leaves the ones around you with a bad taste in their month. It doesn’t take much effort to be courteous. 
3. One voice can change a room. This can mean that, as the person who possesses the voice, you speak. Or maybe you just listen. All that is required to make a difference is that someone listens, and someone cares enough.

We greatly appreciate Emily Pang for sharing her experiences. Her path had many stops – launching Royal Mail’s IPO, serving on the Board of Directors for three separate not-for-profit organisations, and now working for SickKids Foundation.

Ultimately, you choose the path that you want to take. Though you never know where you end up, keep in mind the phenomenon that has allowed Ms Pang to survive hard times – do what you love, and do it with happy people.