One of the key components that has traditionally been incorporated into managing client relationships is corporate responsibility - more readily known as community service or corporate philanthropy.  A troubling remark I heard from one of central Florida's business leaders this past week related to being more careful with charitable dollars.  When I say troubling, it's because I know from experience that most businesses equate care in charitable giving with cutting back.  

Donations have been declining for many social agencies over the past year.  But now things are reaching a state of critical proportions at the same time that more people are finding themselves in need of help.  Just this morning, my friend, Rob Mellen, President and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities, was quoted in the Orlando Sentinel,  saying that the bottom line is "clearly that there will be less money for us to distribute until the market has turned around."

When we see that foundations, which exist only to distribute charitable dollars, are being forced to cut back, we know that we're in real trouble.  Families are going to suffer - children are going hungry and in many cases are in line to endure higher rates of abuse and neglect. 

A lot of us have worked to get the message to Florida's legislators, who cut funding to services last session.  But we must go beyond the efforts of Florida's People - Florida's Promise. 

Rather than cutting back, businesses must find better ways of enriching the community through the donation of time and resources.  Mid-size and small companies can learn from some of our country's largest corporations and become more strategic in their community outreach.  With a little creativity, even a small company can redirect its resources to develop a signature, community-based program that affects real change by bringing together employees and customers for the common good. 

We can take inspiration from the efforts of one of America's largest corporations.  According to a recent post on Cone's What Do You Stand For blog - "As economic conditions further unravel, the importance of in-kind programs that help heal local communities and engage employees in meaningful work will only continue to grow." 

Adversity has traditionally brought Americans together.  Today, America's businesses have an opportunity to band together to shore up critical social services and while doing so, cement strategic relationships. 

I just returned from a short trip to spend some time with my Dad.  As he nears his 83rd birthday, Dad spends more and more time recalling past years.  The details in his recollections have become more crisp and compelling.  His life's lessons more relevant.  Especially today – as we awaken to even more dire economic predictions.   

A child of the Great Depression, Dad shouldered many responsibilities as the oldest of eight children.  Like many young boys, he began earning money by cutting grass and performing other odd chores for neighbors.  He held his first regular job at 14, delivering ice to businesses and residences in Tampa Florida.  It was hard work for a young man, but the gentleman he worked for was good to him. 

In those days, Tampa was a small town and Dad's hard work was soon rewarded as he was offered a better paying job driving a truck and making deliveries for local businesses.  He recalled hiring day laborers off the side of the street, the bustle of the local port, and the narrow alley-ways that had to be negotiated during deliveries. 

Shortly before Dad’s 16th birthday, the Japanese launched its attack on Pearl Harbor.  Not long afterward, he enrolled in the St. Petersburg Maritime Service Training Station and eventually shipped out as a Merchant Marine. 

Today’s uncertainties have many people looking back to the Great Depression in fear that we may be on the cusp of the deepest, longest recession since that time.    

As I listened to my Dad, it became apparent that honesty, hard work, courage and leadership were the underlying strengths that sustained him throughout his life.   Today I can’t help but think that these very same attributes are what will help us endure the difficult times ahead. 

Past experience has convinced me that an organization's success is heavily reliant upon how relationships are managed and how carefully the reputation of the organization is protected and enhanced.  Future blog posts will explore this topic in depth, but today we’ll start with a little lesson from one of my favorite authors … Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Doing well is the result of doing good. That's what capitalism is all about.”

Think about Emerson’s words – every day.  Then practice doing good.  Share a kind word with a subordinate, take action to improve someone’s life through community involvement, provide value to a client without considering remuneration and most importantly, make time for the people you love and care for.  You’ll feel better and in time, you’ll do well.