In 1992, my dad asked me to be part of the Southwest Bowling Proprietors Association. This was a group of business leaders in the bowling industry that would meet and talk about strategies to better both our business and our industry. I was a proprietor in Purcell, Oklahoma at the time and it was a great opportunity for me to learn and grow in my leadership as an entrepreneur. Several years later, I moved to Dallas, Texas and continued to volunteer in different organizations such as the North Texas Relocation Professionals which highlights the mobility industry, and DallasHR, an HR association for anyone that practices or supports the HR profession. What I have learned is volunteering in a local organization will sharpen us as a leader, build our confidence, grow our networks, and elevate our value in every role we play in our company.
We often don’t think about volunteering when we begin our career journey because we are so busy working on our new job and responsibilities. Then we decide to attend a networking event, and realize how daunting it can be. It’s hard to get to know people. Then we meet volunteers and sometimes get asked to get involved, but that can also be freighting not knowing about the time commitment and how it might impact our work or family time. Sometimes it’s up to us to ask too. However, once you get plugged into volunteering, we find it often not only helps us as a business leader, but helps give us an edge in our career. When we approach volunteering with an open mind, and a servant’s heart to learn, grow, and help others, it will take us to places where we never even imagined. I often share with people that volunteering may take some time out of our schedule, but the return on investment is so much greater.
When I decided to get involved in DallasHR back in 2004, I just wanted to meet people in the HR space. I never dreamed that I would become the president of the 3rd largest chapter in the US, then later have the honor to serve as a District Director for Texas SHRM. In fact, this week I will be traveling to Washington DC with Texas SHRM to learn more about ways to be better leaders as volunteers for SHRM to help build better workplaces for a better world. I am looking forward to sharing more when I return.
Volunteering is just one of the ingredients that I have implemented in my formula to add value as a business leader. I believe everyone has a formula, or system in place that works for them to be their best. Have you ever thought about your formula for winning in your role? Your strategy to help you drive better results? Right now is a great time to reflect and discuss to help drive a winning formula for 2020. It’s just around the corner!
What’s in my formula? Here are three ingredients that I include:
- Your network is your net worth. When we volunteer, we meet more people and experience more to share with others in our company and networks. …and it’s our duty as business leaders to always be developing our networks for our company. Volunteering will sharpen our edge and help build our confidence too. Warning; it’s easier said than done.
- Build a Brand of Excellence. When people think of you, what do they think about? Are you respected among your peers, consistent and delivering excellence every day? When we volunteer, we have a better opportunity to build a brand that creates opportunities within our networks. The best example is “receiving a referral” because of the trust we build along the way.
- Stay Consistent. There is no finish line. This is probably the most important thing that I have learned. We don’t have to serve everywhere, we just need to serve somewhere with consistency. Volunteering will help us keep our edge as a LeadHR! So stay sharp by helping others!
What’s your formula for winning in 2020?
Quote of the week: “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” John D. Rockefeller
Call to Action: Write down things to include in your formula to win in 2020. Discuss with a colleague or share with someone in your network for perspective. Sharpen your edge by using the formula that works best for you!
Originally published on The Waller Report.
Bruce Waller is the Vice President of Corporate Relocation for Armstrong Relocation and Companies in Dallas, Texas. Bruce has enjoyed many roles in relocation from operations to general management since 1995. Bruce is certified by WorldwideERC as a Certified Relocation Professional (CRP) and serves on the North Texas Relocation Professionals Board of Directors. Bruce is a recipient of the Saul Gresky Award presented to NTRP’s Relocation Professional of the Year, and has received many awards including UniGroup Masters Club and Armstrong Relocation Presidents Club. Bruce is also certified by both HRCI (Human Resources Certification Institute) with a PHR, and SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) with a SHRM-CP and has served as both President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for DallasHR. Bruce currently serves as a District Director for Texas SHRM State Council. Bruce graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a degree in Business Administration.
Bruce writes a weekly blog on Leadership, HR, and Mobility called “A Relocation Minute” that you can be read at brucewaller.com … it’s a quick inspirational read to jumpstart your week! He also published a leadership book called “Find Your Lane” to inspire people with a “Career GPS” approach to help people navigate a career with purpose. In 2019, he published a 5-year journal called “Milemarkers” for anyone to record daily highlights and live with more purpose each day. Bruce is active on many social media channels including LinkedIn and Twitter.
Some fun facts about Bruce… He has bowled 10 perfect “300” games and is a lover of peanut butter and diet coke!
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