'Tis the Season for PM Giving

Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.

  Career Development   Governance  

Volunteering your time to help charitable and non-profit organizations with their project-related needs has its own share of complications. There are scheduling issues, finding an organization that needs your time, wants your time and hopefully appreciates the contribution you can make. And unlike monetary giving, volunteering time represents donating a resource that cannot be replenished. Yet helping organizations in need and having an opportunity to make a real difference can be a very rewarding growth experience.

However, there are other reasons for volunteering your time to a non-profit that might be appealing to you, such as:

• Expanding Your Network– Non-profits often have corporate sponsors and influential business executives who help fund the organization. By helping the organization with high-profile projects, you might have opportunities to meet these sponsors, impress them with the outcomes you achieved and perhaps secure a position within their for-profit organizations.
• Keep Your Hand in the Game– Retirees who still want to stay busy (just not full-time) can find volunteering a great way to help others and staying needed. While the pay is zero, it beats being a big box greeter.
• Hone Your Skills– For those of you that are new to the PM business, volunteering can provide you with resume-building experience that can help you …

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