Comments on: The Red Cross’s Real Problem (It’s Not What You Think) http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/ Hildy Gottlieb's Online Journal for the Community-Driven Institute Sat, 17 May 2008 06:00:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Hildy http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-4645 Hildy Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:31:43 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-4645 Thanks, Beka, for such an impassioned plea! I just came across a wonderful Peter Drucker quote - "The best way to predict the future is to create it." The work we are all doing to make people's lives better today is one of many steps towards creating a better future tomorrow. So thank you for that reminder! Hildy Thanks, Beka, for such an impassioned plea! I just came across a wonderful Peter Drucker quote - “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” The work we are all doing to make people’s lives better today is one of many steps towards creating a better future tomorrow. So thank you for that reminder!
Hildy

]]> By: beka http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-4641 beka Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:38:20 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-4641 I am not surprised to hear news of the Red Cross layoffs and recent fumblings. Consider the salary the CEO gets. Alot of medium to large sized nonprofits have forgotten their mission, squandered donations in irrelevant projects, fail to collaborate with other nonprofits, have become and maintain a meaningless vision over time. As a nurse I run a small nonprofit out of my studio apartment in NYC without a paid staff or office space. Everything I do is focused on patient care and education as realistically a cure for the disorder, dystonia, that I serve won’t occur in my lifetime. My Laptop is my best friend. Let’s be realistic about science today as well. Many high-end nonprofits tout endlessly the Hope for a Cure about any disease. Hei-I just want to be able to cross the street and ride a bicycle. So, lets get real. Where is that cure for diabetes, cancer , AIDS that has been talked about for the past 20 years ? The diseases are still occuring as do Hurricanes and other disasters. More often than not, some nonprofits are bought out by pharma, biotech companies in order to unsuspiciously sell-promote-market their products. With the Red Cross, there has not been enough accountability and investment record keeping regarding given donations. Time for nonprofits to change. Time for donors to ASK “Where and How is my money being used ?”. If the nonprofit can’t produce, you just gave to the wrong organization. Alter and Avoid the Status Quo. It’s Time. Beka ,RN, MS, NP I am not surprised to hear news of the Red Cross layoffs and recent fumblings. Consider the salary the CEO gets. Alot of medium to large sized nonprofits have forgotten their mission, squandered donations in irrelevant projects, fail to collaborate with other nonprofits, have become and maintain a meaningless vision over time. As a nurse I run a small nonprofit out of my studio apartment in NYC without a paid staff or office space. Everything I do is focused on patient care and education as realistically a cure for the disorder, dystonia, that I serve won’t occur in my lifetime. My Laptop is my best friend.
Let’s be realistic about science today as well. Many high-end nonprofits tout endlessly the Hope for a Cure about any disease. Hei-I just want to be able to cross the street and ride a bicycle. So, lets get real. Where is that cure for diabetes, cancer , AIDS that has been talked about for the past 20 years ? The diseases are still occuring as do Hurricanes and other disasters. More often than not, some nonprofits are bought out by pharma, biotech companies in order to unsuspiciously sell-promote-market their products.
With the Red Cross, there has not been enough accountability and investment record keeping regarding given donations.
Time for nonprofits to change. Time for donors to ASK “Where and How is my money being used ?”. If the nonprofit can’t produce, you just gave to the wrong organization.
Alter and Avoid the Status Quo. It’s Time.

Beka ,RN, MS, NP

]]> By: Ernesto R. Escalante http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3749 Ernesto R. Escalante Mon, 17 Dec 2007 02:11:37 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3749 Hildy,I think we are both saying the same thing,only different. To be able to see the big picture of the long term is usually the challenge for an organization due to the shortsightedness of those that make the long term decisions. Hildy,I think we are both saying the same thing,only different. To be able to see the big picture of the long term is usually the challenge for an organization due to the shortsightedness of those that make the long term decisions.

]]> By: Hildy http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3748 Hildy Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:47:24 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3748 Ernesto: Your last few sentences just made me smile. We have the potential all the time, to choose whether we will short-sightedly look at our immediate self-interest, vs. acknowledging that our collective self-interest is also our personal self-interest. Thanks for the great reminder! To me, it's not a matter of self-vs-collective interest, but a matter of short-vs-long-term. In the big-picture of the long term, what's good for all of us is, by definition, good for me as an individual. In that big picture, as an individual, I will get to live in a healthy, vibrant, safe, resilient community. That is absolutely in my self-interest. I just may not get to drive my car as fast as I want to in the short term! HG Ernesto:
Your last few sentences just made me smile. We have the potential all the time, to choose whether we will short-sightedly look at our immediate self-interest, vs. acknowledging that our collective self-interest is also our personal self-interest. Thanks for the great reminder!

To me, it’s not a matter of self-vs-collective interest, but a matter of short-vs-long-term. In the big-picture of the long term, what’s good for all of us is, by definition, good for me as an individual. In that big picture, as an individual, I will get to live in a healthy, vibrant, safe, resilient community. That is absolutely in my self-interest. I just may not get to drive my car as fast as I want to in the short term! HG

]]> By: Hildy http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3747 Hildy Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:41:14 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3747 Anonymous: I wish we saw evidence of mission, vision and values in the actions of the Red Cross. They may think they have a good grip on those guiding principles, but they sure have not evidenced that they have a clue how to incorporate same into their work. The only thing we can judge is by their results. I have also found there is not a lot of upside in blame. Instead, I have found that blame gives away our control to the thing we are blaming. The more we blame whoever happens to be in the White House at the time (or lack of money, or whatever an organization might blame things on), the less control we take to actually do something about the thing we are blaming about in the first place. (Is that sentence convoluted enough?) Hildy Anonymous:
I wish we saw evidence of mission, vision and values in the actions of the Red Cross. They may think they have a good grip on those guiding principles, but they sure have not evidenced that they have a clue how to incorporate same into their work. The only thing we can judge is by their results.

I have also found there is not a lot of upside in blame. Instead, I have found that blame gives away our control to the thing we are blaming. The more we blame whoever happens to be in the White House at the time (or lack of money, or whatever an organization might blame things on), the less control we take to actually do something about the thing we are blaming about in the first place. (Is that sentence convoluted enough?)
Hildy

]]> By: Ernesto R. Escalante http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3746 Ernesto R. Escalante Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:07:12 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3746 Instead of focusing on the problem,it appears to me that looking at possible solutions would be more productive.The human condition is what it is and their is nothing we can do about it,however we can pay attention and not allow our emotions be our guide. I salute you Hildy for your focus on the importance of looking at the core and values of any given organization. To do that,self interest has to be totally eliminated or the wisdom required to be able and focus on core and values wil not be discovered due to what is motivating any given organization other than the wisdom that is obviously being ignored, though every organization has plenty of. What does this mean? We humans have incredible minds that are capable of being curious and creative and accepting and compassionate. Without complaining. In doing so, we would be more aware of the core and values that exist. Instead of focusing on the problem,it appears to me that looking at possible solutions would be more productive.The human condition is what it is and their is nothing we can do about it,however we can pay attention and not allow our emotions be our guide. I salute you Hildy for your focus on the importance of looking at the core and values of any given organization. To do that,self interest has to be totally eliminated or the wisdom required to be able and focus on core and values wil not be discovered due to what is motivating any given organization other than the wisdom that is obviously being ignored, though every organization has plenty of. What does this mean? We humans have incredible minds that are capable of being curious and creative and accepting and compassionate. Without complaining. In doing so, we would be more aware of the core and values that exist.

]]> By: Anonymous http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3628 Anonymous Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:55:53 +0000 http://hildygottlieb.com/2007/12/10/the-red-crosss-real-problem-its-not-what-you-think/#comment-3628 If only the problem were that simple. The Red Cross has a pretty good grip on mission vision and values. Their problem is the same one that is in the White House, a bunch of Republicans out for themselves. Look at their board and especially their chairlady. Look at the guy they bounced. If only the problem were that simple. The Red Cross has a pretty good grip on mission vision and values. Their problem is the same one that is in the White House, a bunch of Republicans out for themselves. Look at their board and especially their chairlady. Look at the guy they bounced.

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