Happiness Matters

This past weekend I took the family to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and the World of Coca Cola. Both places were very impressive and very in tune with design of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). This was my second time to visit both and I walked away more impressed than the first visit.

One of the clearer messages in the World of Coca Cola was the idea of Happiness Factory and it’s five parts or elements. From the guided tours, to movies, to the customer service people, all seemed to be on one page as it relates these 5 elements: be curious, be in the now, be active, be giving, and be together.

Curiosity about life and others has made a difference in my life. This said another way, “be a student of life”. The second element is the state of presence or being in the now. When I started my professional career I was living 15-30 minutes in the future and more focused on next appointment than I was in the current meeting. Back in the mid 90′s I heard a speaker Jim Rohn share some powerful and simple insights about being in the present and it has served me well. Here are some of the things he said:

1) Be active physically can and will help you sleep better at night and it is hard to put a price on a good night’s sleep
2) Don’t give up just because you use to be able to do big things
3) Start where you are and write it down and then just do it
4) Be giving

Yale University has done several studies on the elderly and found that the best medicine includes some form of giving. Some of the happiest seniors are those that volunteer and give back time, talent, and treasure. I recommend all three personally. Being together is not just referring to physical activity, but to be experiencing life together. Do stuff in life with others.

Once, I hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim with a couple of acquaintances. After the journey, we got to know and respect each other a lot more. Think back to your friendships or fellow teammates as you endured in sports or other activities. Think about a family vacation that began rough and later, looking back, you realize the struggle had brought you all closer together. There have been two times I was incredibly scared of storms while on vacation growing up: once in a little boat and another time in small aircraft. I feared for my life and for good reason. But there is one thing I realized during this time of fear: my family was there for me and they have been there ever since.

Stewardship is about attitude. We manage our attitude and how we respond to life events and it does make a difference. I agreed with the teaching and messages presented by World of Coca Cola this weekend. Stay focused on these 5 elements and you can experience more happiness in your life.

1) Be curious.
2) Be in the now.
3) Be active.
4) Be giving.
5) Be together.

In Stephen G. Post “The Hidden Gifts of Helping” he shares the formula for deep happiness.

1) Foremost, love others

2) Cultivate moral integrity

3) Enjoy thankful simplicity

4) Stay true to your higher purposes.

I recommend this book and like the way he uses studies to prove the benefits of helping to overcome depression and sadness. Very personal stories to show his need to serve and help others played a major role in the book. I was fortunate to have also hear Mr. Post share at the Advisors in Philanthropy annual conference this year. Bottom line serve or giving starts several other aspects of our lives towards happiness. Physically, emotionally, and socially are just part of the results. Go test this on yourself.

Do you agree with the 5 elements presented by Coke? Do you agree that “attitude” is part of our personal stewardship?

Align With Your Values

Have you ever walked out of a movie and totally disagreed with the ideas portrayed? Did you also wish you had not contributed to the movie’s box office receipts?

How might you avoid these negative feelings the next time you visit the movie theater? You might do one of the following before purchasing your tickets:

1) Read reviews from professionals to gain insights on plot and characters.

2) Ask friends with similar values that have seen the film and what is their take on it.

Both of these are not perfect, however they can greatly reduce the chances of being surprised by ideas’s and values that may upset your day. It’s healthy to be open to others views and to distinguish them as other’s perspectives. Nobody wants to be surprised by dogmatic political or religious views forced on them as judging.

Why Ask ‘Why’?

Asking ‘Why?’ is more important than asking ‘What?’ The talking heads on TV and radio have us focused on the wrong stuff when it comes to most financial conversations. Even though the ‘what’ is important , the ‘why’ is more important. Here are some good hypothetical questions:

• “If you had unlimited financial resources…?”
• “If you had the financial ability to completely solve one major problem in the world…?”
• “If a large foundation appointed you to give away $1M,which types of causes or organizations…?”

Another way your advisers could ask would be to use experimental questions:

• “Is there a particular church, charity or non-profit organization you’ve enjoyed supporting…?”
• “Have you ever had the opportunity to do volunteer work for…?”
• “Have you ever made a charitable donation that gave you a feeling of…?”

The next step in understanding your ‘why’ might involve asking simply practical questions:

• “How many hours could you devout to solving this need…?”
• ” What steps do you need to take next to move towards solving the issues at hand…?

I have personally witnessed clients and friends that have come to answer the ‘why’ and get clear with core values and the difference it has made. I have changed my investing habits and methods to reflect my values and it feels good to know that profits and earnings are aligned with my values. Screening investments to reflect values does not in itself do anything to reduce risk or price fluctuations. There still needs to be skill and diversification and proper risk management and portfolio construction to address these issues.

A ‘why’ question I have had for myself and other financial professionals is this: Why are so few willing to screen and provide individuals and non-profit endowments with investments in alignment with the individual or organizations values? This year I attended two major conferences and asked the leaders and investment guru’s of both groups why this is not happening? The number one answer was “too much work or that is inconvenient.” The number two answer was,” my clients are not asking me about screened investments.” The last answer from some very seasoned managers was, “how would one even get started to find out values or how to screen investments for values?”

The Next Steps towards Aligning Your Values…

So if you are a professional advisor, individual investor, or a board member of a non-profit, and values are important, what are you going to do next?

Google it? Search Trade Associations? Ask other experts? Maybe you do all of the above. Let me share a lesson one of my non-profits learned about several years ago. Begin by being clear on your mission and acceptable values is a good start. Next, ask current advisers if they could tell you about the current holdings as it relates to the avoid list (stuff opposite of your values). The investment committee needs to get a short list of clear industries that violate the family values that work so hard to build within the local community. With that list, they are able to go to the current advisor and request that these items not be included in future investments and to seek out when to sell the current violations in the non-profits investment fund. Do not make this a big public dialogue and ask investment committee members to keep this confidential.

Do not be surprised if the current advisor is going to make an issue your returns may suffer or the expenses will need to increase significantly before considering other options. One group was asked to sign a waiver that investment returns may suffer if the managers are not able to invest into anti-family values like pornographic internet companies. This took courage from the trustee and investment committee to educate themselves long before there were articles and blogs on the internet. They went forward and found greater joy knowing they were making a difference directly and indirectly by not supporting the things they were fighting with daily. This actually became an asset to the fundraising process as donors heard about the story of their careful stewardship in selecting to avoid the issues of anti-family values in the non-profits investment account. Board members shook off their fears and proceeded with pride knowing they had made a wise choice. All it took to start this was to simply ask ‘why’. Stewardship of money matters does make a difference.

If your ‘why’ is not getting addressed then try bouncing it off of me. I love the ‘why’ in planning and in investments.

The Fog

Have you ever found yourself in a dense fog? Depending on where you are and what dangers are potentially lurking in the fog, the whole scenario can be a little creepy. While I find the fog fascinating it is very uncomfortable at the same time. Reasons for this discomfort may vary from too many horror flicks as a child, the suspense of be surprised by the unknown, or even a sense of not knowing what is around you? I get a similar feeling when in total darkness – much like when you’re in a cave and they turn out the lights. Now can you remember how it feels after the fog has lifted or blown through? Those times when the sunlight makes all the surroundings clear? There is a physical release of tension and emotional embrace of hope. Some might enjoy the fog and may prefer the unknown surprises around the corner by living on the edge of uncertainty. We can certainly parallel this kind of fog when looking at our economy the past few years. The reports of corruption and stealing in the financial services sector and other areas only heightens the fears in the fog. Lots of talk radio and TV talking heads argue the points and counter points. Job growth? One side says the government has to spend big now or keep spending big to prop up the economy while the other argues to cut expenses to get clear on future costs and regulations so leaders can plan. Both sides want the same thing. Unfortunately the result always ends up with both sides slamming each other’s family or political leaders and this does nothing to solve the issue of job growth.

Let the sunshine clearly reveal and burn off the fog of distrust. May we see leaders willing to be responsible stewards of this great country and encourage right steps without creating harmful regulations that dampen job growth and investment for tomorrow. May the seeds of distrust wake up investors to be better stewards. May the practices of oversight and full disclosure be more than fine print disclosures. Investors must wake up and see the shining light on their business partners and where they are earning money or profits. We should be afraid of such a fog and willing to seek out the light of understanding. Understanding your personal life values may or may not be in alignment with your industry investments is part of seeking out the light. If we continue to invest in the fog of ignorance and the fog of non-disclosure, we will keep getting what we are getting.

How could you shine the light on your personal investments? Ask your current adviser (if you have one) to provide you with industry disclosure. Expect them to simply point you in the direction of the mounds of disclosures or huge e-mail attachments with annual or semi-annual reports. Maybe they will send a fact sheet with top holdings and percentages of industries as very broad categories like health care, entertainment, manufacturing or services. Health care can be controversial in several ways: If you are pro life and several of the investments you hold are earning profits and paying dividends from abortion earnings, what does that say? If you are against animal testing and yet several of the holdings are drug companies testing on family pets does that bother you to know your earnings are from activities you do not support or condone. If you align with your core values, and their are about 20 categories in general, you could screen or have screened your holdings to negatively avoid the stuff you wish to avoid. You could also choose to include values as positive factors like diversity or environmental performance. Go check out my blog on ESG to get more on this subject of screening investments to align with your values.

“To thy own self be true.” Look in the mirror and ask yourself, Who are you and what is important to you? What are causes that motivate you? Activities that give you boundless energy and joy? Programs that inspire you and those you care most about? Take those values into your investing strategies and know that you vote with pocketbook/purse.

Get educated on your options and get out of the fog. Most advisers today are still in the fog when it comes to screening for values. Most will give lip service to a fund for one product off the shelf without personal conviction or personal study of what is possible for you. I tell you it is worth it. It was June of 1986 and the first investments I recall making with a client was the Calvert Social Investment Fund. I was employed with Calvert Securities then and it seemed to align with this individual’s values. Management and other advisers discouraged me that almost no one wants screened investments. They told me to focus on the more popular funds that “advertise” will make your selling a lot easier. It is interesting how we are attracted to things and move away from them only to return to them years later with more wisdom and experience to bring to the table of conversation.

I would love to hear your experiences as you converse with professionals regarding the idea of screening investments to align with your values?

William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce was a brave man that stood up against human slavery and the trading of humans. You may remember him from a movie back in 2006 called Amazing Grace. I highly recommend checking it out if you have not already. Here is the trailer:

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He was not exactly popular with business leaders/traders. Slavery was about money. Money for the traders, transport and benefits of cheap labor to plantation owners in the New World and other places. Wilburforce was the leading English abolitionists and he headed the parliamentary campaign against the British Slave Trade. He worked 26 years until the passage of the “Slave Trade Act 1807″. He championed many causes and campaigns including: prevention of cruelty to animals, free those under British Rule and he did just days before he died saw the passage of the “Slavery Abolition Act of 1833″. How did this take place?

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1) Started with strong conviction

2) Joined with others (British Quakers and Anglicans)

3) Utilized various methods to influence: lobbying, pamphlets, meetings, press, boycotts, campaign logo.

4) Sought to influence in other countries as well- France , Spain, Portugal, Denmark

5) Used political influence in hearings

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Here is a quote of his resolute determination.
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“So enormous so dreadful, so irremediable did the Trade’s wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for Abolition. Let the consequences be what they would never rest until I had effected its abolition.”
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What is your strong conviction that motivates you?

Ethics In Philanthropy

With new headlines daily touting who is sleeping around, who has taken the money and run, or who is covering up their wrongs, it’s hard not to become numb to these bizarre, yet very real events. Even some of our non-profits have issues with misappropriated money. What are some things we should know as we invest money into the social sector?

Were you aware there is a donor bill of rights? Did you know that there are ethical rules of conduct for those in the gift planning business? It is simply called Model Standards of Practice for Gift Planners. I am active with a local group Philanthropic Advisors Council of Central Florida a chapter of national organization Partners in Philanthropic Planning. Locally we discuss ethics in gifts and the need for a gifting policy as advisors and gift officers meet for regular education and relationship building activities.

Did you know that the United Nations has principles for investment? Principles for Responsible Investment. Why should I include this link? Sustainability and fairness are at the root of these principles.

Were you aware of the EPA’s research and publication of sustainability? Here is the link Sustainability US EPA.

The Plan Giving Design Center has several articles addressing specific issues on ethical giving here http://www.pgdc.com/pgdc/management/ethics

Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society has a publication called Stanford Social Innovation Review. Here, Chip Pitts does a review of the book GIVING WELL: The Ethics of Philanthropy. http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/ethical_philanthropy/

Good Stewardship in giving will require some due diligence of the work done and the results or effectiveness. Trusting those at the top of the organization is important but not everything. Financial accountability is only a part of the ethics. This process is good for you, your community, your charities and the world. It does matter and you matter. There are groups that encourage corporate giving and corporate participation into good community practices. These groups sometimes operate more as think tanks and others operate as education on practical ways to engage and do more social and community good. Not only does this affect the local good, but also the global good by cutting down on slave trade activities and exposing such issues to act upon.

Stewardship influence is something we can all do by getting better informed and taking steps of action. BSR is one large organization that seems to be making a difference in the corporate world. BSR is for corporations and individuals in leadership roles at corporations.

Do you think ethics are truly important when giving? Does this sound too formal and stuffy when all that donors want to do is give and know they are meeting their needs including their need to give? Are you of the mindset that corporations should steer clear of doing good? I would love to hear your thoughts below…

Green Gardening

This past weekend I worked the garden and wanted to share a few thoughts on green gardening. I moved 15 yards of pine mulch around the yard. My son asked why all the work? I reminded him that mulch is good stewardship: 1) helps hold in moisture-less watering 2) holds down weed growth- less time hand weeding or need to spray for weeds 3) mulch provides additional nutrients to the soil 4) lastly it looks nice.

Have you heard of “Pyrethrin”? It is an insecticide derived from a plant and has been used as an insecticide for more than 50 years. Many use this for vegetables, ornamentals, pets, and even in the home. What about Payback Fire Ant Bait? Organic ant killer kills most ants within days. Are you dealing with caterpillers? Try “Thuricide aka Bacillus Thuringiensis or Dipel. Use this around vegetables, citrus, shrubs, trees and flowering plants. Another good solution may be Neem Oil as it acts as fungicide, insecticide, and miticide and made from the oil of Neem tree. If you prefer a more fun method of gardening purchase some lady bugs and let them loose in the garden.

Don’t forget composting works in your favor. Kitchen scraps from veggies, leaves from the trees, peals from fruits and grass clippings all make for great soil enhancement. If you have children do not neglect sharing the miracle of life: seed, soil, sunshine and rain (or for Hydroponics: seed, sun, technology and still a miracle ). We are growing at the Thomas house watermelons, basil, zennias from seeds. Love the fruit, pesto and flowers and the process.

One small thing I try to do is pour my used coffee grinds over plants at both the house and the office. These little actions do make a difference. Not using harsh chemicals gives your earth worms and other beneficial creatures in the garden a better chance.

Stewardship matters and we would love to hear your comments and suggestions to make green gardening a better and friendly way of living.