04/28/21
Celebrating Our Volunteers: Ensuring Stability in Uncertain Times
In studying the responses of over 10,000 people who listed words that best described an organizational leader who has had the most positive influence in their lives, Gallup determined that their contributions could best be categorized as Trust, Compassion, Stability, and Hope.
Through virtual forums with expert panelists and alumni break-out room discussions the National Leadership Network is exploring each of these attributes independently throughout 2021. Trust happened in February and Compassion is scheduled for May 18th.
As we celebrate National Volunteer Month, I want to talk to you about Stability, which is also cited by Gallup’s 10,000-person sample as security, strength, support, and peace.
On the heels of a global pandemic where uncertainty has been the norm, stability may be hard to recognize, to grasp, and even harder to express in many organizations. Yet, in the face of the recent unknown, Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) demonstrated stability throughout. We could trust in our dedicated staff, our steadfast board, and our loyal alumni to continue to support our activities and our mission in a time of crisis just as they would at any other time. This stability through trust gave us the confidence to adapt to change in a time of urgency, to pivot into new territories by leaning on our existing organizational strengths – our staff and our network.
Just as sound financial conditions are essential for our stability at LRI, so are engaged volunteers who recognize the importance of leadership. Whether times are tough or times are good, effective strengths-based servant leadership matters.
Please take a moment to review the following lists of alumni and volunteers who have ensured LRI’s stability since the beginning of the pandemic. But don’t just view them as a collection of names, please recognize their individuality and thank these leaders when you see them online or in-person. We wouldn’t and couldn’t do what we do without them.
If you’ve been looking for a way to be more involved with LRI but aren’t sure how, please let us know.
With much gratitude,
Mike Ritz ’07