Charlatan
As a businesswoman in the commercial real estate industry and a philanthropist in the New York City community, I’m well aware that philanthropy can amplify one’s success and crystalize the vital relationship between giving back and enhancing business performance.
Related: A New Dell Initiative Asks Women Entrepreneurs to Give Back
When intelligently coupled, business and philanthropy build upon each another to produce both social and financial impact.
This occurred to me again when I read a report by the Urban Land Institute, about women in the real estate industry and smart work policies. I was struck that the majority of the women ULI surveyed, who held CEO or other executive positions, served on community nonprofit boards; so did nearly half of all women surveyed. As a woman who’s had years of involvement in both real estate and philanthropy, I found that those statistics resonated.
Why? Because women young and old in our industry are not only proving that they care about more than just the bottom line, but are developing important skills from their philanthropic endeavors. Now, I don’t know if ULI’s figure is true for other industries — but I am quite certain that the skills and mindset philanthropic involvement instills are useful across a range of professions.
Wrote ULI: “Many women leverage these external leadership experiences, which often make them better prepared for leadership roles within their own organization. Support for employee involvement in external organizations demonstrates the active role firms are taking in their communities.”
Indeed, community boards and nonprofit organizations provide excellent experience for the corporate world. Leadership roles on nonprofit boards are especially beneficial, as they allow women the ability to demonstrate and build confidence in executive roles. Such experience feeds into career advancement.
