I knew that if I looked for the right partnerships in the non-profit, poverty-reduction, AIDS-baby-curing, or otherwise do-gooding people in the world, provided they had sufficient motivation to explore what I had to say, even though I was not ‘one of them’ I was very sure I could help them do things better, safer, cheaper, faster, happier. That is, I recognized that the process of running an industrial operation is not so very different whether your goal is producing 800 automotive components per hour from an assembly line or rescuing and keeping up the health of a baby capuchin monkey that was being illegally trafficked through the Amazon Basin. What’s different is the context, the approach, the culture and the outcome being produced – but the tools and the concepts are the same. That’s why I ‘walk the line’ between doing traditional applications of my work (manufacturing factories, offices of multi-national corporations, management consulting firms) and other clients, who ‘traditionally’ would never have the opportunity to work (or possibly the desire) to work with an engineer/business problem-solving consultant.
So I am motivated by the opportunity to partner with individuals who are doing some sort of good in the world, to help them do it better by leveraging the skills I gained in industry. It’s interesting; much more so than just working in industry like everyone else. I am also motivated by my human instincts; I enjoy the chance to become a part of serving a cause. For example, when I supported the launch of a social enterprise for impoverished waste pickers in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2011, I was able to help provide a viable business opportunity for 20 people who lived well below the poverty line and had previously had little choice but to scavenge and sort recyclables for a living. In the short term, those 20 people and their families will have access to a little more money for essentials (we expect their incomes to go up by as much as 150% from current levels with the successful launch of the project). In the long term, participating in the model we designed and launched, they will achieve greater social integration, autonomy from the volatility of material prices, and better career opportunities for their kids; a more dignified life. I believe in making that kind of a difference. I sleep better at night knowing that I am doing what I do best for a living, and doing something that is affecting someone’s life on a personal level. My soul sings. And what’s the point of living if you’re doing something that doesn’t make your soul sing?
So I am seeking the opportunity to continue working with those who are striving to serve a cause they believe in, whose values and aspirations are aligned with mine – to keep that soul song alive and expanding through time. My skills may not be of use to everyone; but I do believe there is significant opportunity in certain partnerships. I believe in the benefit of bringing together people with different skills and shared aspirations. I believe in the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
Based on my experience thus far, working with people of other cultures (both geographic and social/thought culture), the most important components are the willingness to communication and listen with an open mind, respecting the thinking of the other and focusing on common goals. Though I am an engineer with significant skills and experience, I recognize that my human qualities; compassion, understanding, gratitude, humour and caring are worth just as much in the grand scheme of life. Similarly, I recognize that earning money is also important, but being happy with what you do, and proud of the contribution you make is also tremendously valuable. So I seek to balance – and ideally mix – those two goals. Do good, touch people’s lives, make money. I believe it’s possible to do it all. But then again I have always been an optimist.