Any Volunteers?

As a longtime board member of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Anne Saunier, a principal with Sibson & Co. in New York, traveled the world meeting foreign dignitaries and has even testified before Congress. Overall, Saunier credits these experiences, as well as those as a board member of Muskingum College in Ohio, with making her a better person and a better consultant.
"It helped me gain different points of view and see different ways of living and different values," she said. "This provides good exposure if you are open to it and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. I developed my skill set in volunteer work. You learn to motivate people and you learn to commit to others and keep that commitment and get others to commit to you."

For consultants midway in their careers, volunteer work can present opportunities to hone professional skills. Kirk Goldman, a senior analyst with Mainspring, credits his work with a program designed to teach computer and IT skills to youths in Cambridge, Mass., with helping him develop his project-management skills. Goldman organized the program after realizing that many programs in the area have the funding and computers but no qualified teachers. "This is the first project I've led myself," he said. Before this experience, "I'd managed people but had no direct reporting relationships."

Gaining new perspectives and experiences in volunteer work is a key attraction for Joe Martindale, a principal with Towers Perrin in New York. Martindale finds that his work on the board of the New York Business Group on Health, a healthcare public policy organization, benefits him professionally. This work allows him "to see healthcare from a different perspective that you don't get as a consultant," he said. Martindale is also on the board of Bread for the World (www.bread.org), an organization focused on ending hunger. He also volunteers a few nights a month at a homeless shelter run by the Partnership for the Homeless. "Being part of these organizations makes me appreciate how difficult it can be to reach a consensus," said Martindale. "The easy part of problem solving is the solution. It is much harder to bring together the constituencies necessary to make it happen."
If working with these groups has made Martindale a better consultant, he also believes that his consulting skills have made him a better volunteer. "I have worked on public policy throughout my career, so I've been able to make use of my professional skills," he said. "I appreciate how government works and have met with congressmen and their aides so I am comfortable in that role." But at the same time, he continues his work at the homeless shelter because "it's important to do hands-on work in addition to high-level work," he said.
Paul Rosenberg, a manager with Bain & Co. in Boston, has found many parallels between his work to improve academic performance and reduce the dropout rate at Charlestown High School and the strategy work he does for clients. "You have to apply private sector skills to public sector problems," he said. In both cases, "there are an array of constituencies to deal with and you need to work from fact-based analysis to work through the problem."

Making connections

In some cases, volunteer work can be an informal way to meet potential clients. Dan Morris, a partner with Andersen Consulting in Chicago, has developed client relationships through his work on the board of the Information Technology Resource Center, whose mission is to encourage technological advancement in nonprofit organizations. Although business development is not the reason for his volunteer work, "you do have the opportunity to interact with executives and potential clients in a natural way," said Morris, who estimates he spends a couple of days a month working with ITRC. In fact, Morris got involved with the center through a client. During his three years with the organization, "I've extended my network and these contacts have led directly to work," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, this is icing on the cake. I don't expect it but I'm glad when it happens."
Meeting clients in his volunteer work is not surprising considering that it closely reflects his consulting work. Morris has been able to rely on his technology and consulting skills to develop CompuMentor, a program that helps match nonprofits with skilled professionals who can help deal with IT and Internet issues. "These volunteers teach simple tasks, like how to create macros in Word or how to create and use a mailing list, design Web pages and help organizations decide whether it makes sense to engage in e-commerce," he said.

With ITRC facing the same shortage of skilled individuals that many companies face, Morris has used his position with Andersen Consulting to publicize ITRC and target particular groups of consultants as potential volunteers. "I make sure I track participation among consultants and recognize people who contribute by writing a letter of thanks for their personnel file and letting clients know about their activities."
Getting colleagues interested in volunteer activities may not be all that difficult. Some are just waiting for the opportunity to help. Even before Adams had a chance to ask for help on her I Have a Dream Foundation project, she has been able to draw on informal support from her colleagues. "People began referring me to resources before I even had to ask," she said. "That's how we found a lawyer to do some pro bono work for the foundation."
Indeed, volunteering together can be a good way to build office camaraderie. "Even if you are on the road a lot, volunteer events can make you feel part of the office," said Christine Hinckley, an associate with Mercer Management Consulting in New York. Hinckley is one of a group of consultants who provide weekly tutoring to area schoolchildren. Hinckley has been tutoring an eight-year-old girl once a week for the past three years. In addition, the office also organizes other activities, such as collecting toiletries gathered on the road by frequent travelers to donate to homeless shelters. "Eventually, you get attached to these programs and they become another thing you love about the job," she said.

Finding the time

These consultants do not find it that difficult to make time for volunteer work. Many simply include these activities on their calendars as they would any work-related activity. "Making time for volunteer work is no different than any other challenge," noted Morris. "It is all about balance and scheduling." To achieve that balance, Hinckley schedules her weekly tutoring session for early Friday mornings, but also has the flexibility to change it if necessary. "Making the commitment helps you focus your tasks for the day to make sure you have time needed," she said.

How much time consultants spend on volunteer work varies considerably, depending on the role the individual plays in the organization. But even a board seat doesn't have to turn into another full-time job. "Most organizations don't require a lot of your time if they are run well," said Planned Parenthood's Saunier. "But if the organization has little staff or is less organized, you have to do more."
Even with a busy schedule as a consultant, Adams, who currently spends about eight hours a month on her volunteer job, does not find the work tiring or a distraction. On the contrary, "when I come to work at McKinsey, I feel invigorated and fulfilled," she said. "To me, a critical part of being a consultant is being a well-rounded person. And my work with the foundation helps me bring enthusiasm to the team and insight into problem solving and how people work."

Sidebar: PowerPoints:

• Not unlike the project engagements their worklife revolves around, volunteer work can present opportunities to hone professional skills.

• In some cases, volunteer work can be an informal way to meet potential clients. Although business development is clearly not the reason to pursue volunteer work, you do have the opportunity to interact with executives and potential clients in a natural way.

• How much time consultants spend on volunteer work varies considerably, depending on the role the individual plays in the organization. But even a board seat doesn't have to turn into another full-time job.