in associationwith
view from above
DEE
AHEARN on CSR
MICHAEL
KEARNEY on his favourite business book
There aremany reasons for an organisation to adopt and develop a CSR programme, including developing a unique selling proposition in a crowded marketplace, localising the brand by developing a close association with an Irish charity, or as a recruitment and retention tool for staff. Indeed in times of company crisis, CSR can prove a vital tool in reputation management for a company. Consumers are becoming more aware of the environ-
mental and social implications of their day-to-day con- sumer decisions and are therefore making purchasing decisions related to their environmental and ethical con- cerns. Although value is at the forefront of every con- sumer’s mind, fair trade and ethics certainly resonate when faced with choosing items of a similar cost. Consumers are constantly being targeted via in-store pro- motions, in-store magazines, loyalty cards, e-zines and social media updates, communicating messages of value and in-store activities. CSR programmes can help to bal- ance the commercial nature of these communications. Corporations are motivated to become more socially
responsible because their most important stakeholders expect them to understand and address the social and community issues that are relevant to them. Understanding the causes that are important to employ- ees is usually the first priority because of the many inter- related business benefits that can be derived from increased employee
engagement.Many companies adopt a ‘Charity of the Year’, as chosen by employees, or change their chosen charity every three to five years so there is an opportunity to raise a larger amount for one particu- lar charitable organisation. Similar to other charities, at Barretstown we find every
organisation requires a different level of interaction for their CSR programme. Some companies want to visit the charity they are supporting, so they can see where the funds raised are being used. Others provide staff with a day’s grace for volunteering activities or adopt a payroll scheme to involve all employees. Families who have been to Barretstown are the best ambassadors and communicate the message of the char- ity more effectively than anyone else. These families will often meet with corporations to simply relay their expe- rience and thank donors for their support.
Dee Ahearn is the CEO of Barretstown, the Kildare-based camp for children who have been affected by a serious illness, and their families.
The Orange Revolution: How One Great Team Can Transform an Entire Organisation, by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, is one of the best business books I have read. It is based on a 350,000-person study as well as extraor-
dinary research into exceptional teams at leading compa- nies. The authors have identified a set of rules great teams live by, which generate a culture of positive teamwork and lead to extraordinary results. According to the book, you can transform your team by
following these principles: • Stronger clarity of goals • Greater trust among team members • More open and honest dialogue • Recognition of team members’ contributions Leaders who achieve enhanced business results are very
strong in the following areas: • Goal setting (knowing where you are going) • Communication (wise use of your voice and ears) • Trust (believing in others and being trustworthy) • Accountability (doing what you say you will do) Plus:
• Recognition (appreciating others’ strengths) This is known as the ‘Basic 4 + Recognition’ and lead-
ers in the study who displayed the above qualities had a return on equity of three times greater than leaders who didn’t display these qualities. Importantly, it was not just the leaders who displayed these qualities but also team members. The authors also identified six secret ingredients that
lead teams to world-class results: 1. They dream really ambitious goals 2. They believe in each other and what they can accom- plish together
3. They take calculated risks 4. They closely measure the results 5. They persevere despite problems or conflicts thatmay arise
6. They tell stories that exemplify what they are trying to achieve.
All in all, a fantastic book and a must-read for anyone leading a team.
Michael Kearney is director of Home Instead Senior Care, Snap and Complete Entertainment Exchange (CeX).
Summer 2011 Irish Director 23
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