From the students in my MBA classes at Kellogg to the professionals I meet when giving talks to organizations around the globe, people are just as ambitious as they’ve ever been. As satisfying as their career paths may be, however, many of them are looking for something more–a deeper sense of purpose or more opportunities to pursue their passions. For many of these people, that “something more” comes from volunteering, giving of themselves in support of organizations and causes that align with their values.
I recently wrote about the power of volunteering in Harvard Business Review. Special thanks to my former student, Nick LoManto, who in addition to having a wonderful career at Vanguard, is a volunteer firefighter. The photo he shared is of his two young sons who were able to see their dad in action at a vehicle rescue training. As Nick told me, “They might actually think Dad is cool for once!”
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
Looking for a Sense of Purpose? Volunteer.
At age 29, Nick LoManto led a busy life. He was moving up in his job as a manager of investment analysts at the financial services firm, Vanguard. At home, he and his wife were settling into their marriage and starting to think about growing their family. “There I was, a finance professional with every gift a person could wish for,” he told me. But despite all he was building, LoManto couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.
That nagging feeling led him to ask himself deeper questions: What am I contributing to my community? How can I make a bigger impact? Around that time, a firefighter friend asked if he’d ever thought about volunteering at the local station. The idea stuck.
Now, eight years later, LoManto spends three to 10 hours a week at the Ludwigs Corner Fire Company, doing drills and responding to emergency calls. To earn his certification, he completed 196 hours of in-person training. Volunteering as a firefighter allows him to give back to his community and set a positive example for his two small children. LoManto said the community service aspect of being a firefighter fulfills him beyond what he gets from his regular job, now as head of high net worth advice at Vanguard. “It gives me an even deeper sense of purpose,” he said.
You can read the rest of the article here.
Harry, my mind went immediately to the Margaret Mead quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”