Find Your Compass

By Jennifer Vigran

Chief Executive Officer, Second Helpings

The biggest mistake an employer ever made was to send me to one of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People seminars.  It was the mid-90’s and 7 Habits was on every self-respecting manager’s reading list.  As part of our exercise I had to write my personal mission statement.  I no longer have the slip of paper I wrote it on, but I remember praying that we wouldn’t have to share.  There I was surrounded by the entire management team and a young, high-functioning sales force – but my job, my career weren’t part of my mission.  That little slip of paper said my life’s mission was rooted in my family and my community.

I’d like to say that I turned in my resignation that day and did a full life overhaul, but I wasn’t that brave.  It took a corporate buy-out, a consulting practice and missing my daughter’s first day of kindergarten to make me give up the title and paycheck that I had allowed to define my value.  The day I gave up my last consulting client was the day I filled out my volunteer application for Second Helpings.

Over a decade later I stepped in as Second Helping’s Interim CEO.  I was armed with my Interim CEO Pep Talk about focusing on mission, commitment, customer service and so on.  But I quickly realized that most of our staff had started as volunteers or students in our job training program – they are connected to our mission at least as closely as I am and aren’t afraid to tell me if they think we’re veering off course. 

People talk a lot about passion.  It may be a more comfortable idea for those of us in the not-for-profit sector –  but it’s important to love what you do – no matter what it is or why you love it – whether you love the people, the work, the mission or the challenge.  Organizations reflect their leaders and if you don’t start the day energized to tackle the challenges of the day, no one else will either.

Set bold goals and develop a plan to achieve them.  Next month we will begin construction to double the capacity of our hunger relief program within our building’s existing footprint.  I’d like to say it was my idea – it wasn’t.  The final project will result from volunteers, donors and staff each bringing their experience and creativity to execute a plan that any sane person would have given 3 years to build.  But today we have 3,900 meals/week on a waiting list – hunger in our community is real and we have the potential to impact that in some small way – waiting wasn’t an option.

I’ve learned that my most important role is to distinguish between what we can do and what we should do.  With the breadth of knowledge, skills, relationships, and yes, food that is available to us, I am reminded daily that there are a great many things we can do at Second Helpings, but we need to distinguish the path that is most directly connected to our mission, that is most impactful to our community and that doesn’t compromise our ability to meet commitments we’ve already made. 

Regardless of whether we’re looking at our personal careers or the future of our organizations, finding the right path requires a strong internal compass.  Once you’ve found that compass, listen to it and follow it.  It will take you on a remarkable journey.

To learn more about Second Helpings go to www.secondhelpings.org.

Jennifer Vigran is the CEO of Second Helpings, Inc., a community kitchen and culinary job training program dedicated to transforming lives through the power of food. Through its three programs of Food Rescue, Hunger Relief, and Culinary Job Training, Second Helpings provides nutritious meals for thousands of hungry children and adults each day, and prepares unemployed and underemployed adults for meaningful careers in the culinary industry.  Before coming to Second Helpings, Jennifer worked in human resources and labor relations in both the public and private sectors and previously served as Indiana State Personnel Director and Vice President of Human Resources for Support Net, Inc. A long-term volunteer and board member, Vigran worked extensively in both Second Helpings’ Hunger Relief and Culinary Job Training programs and called upon her human resources background to help hundreds of students build job search and interviewing skills.  As CEO, Vigran has been focused on capacity-building and forming strategic partnerships to broaden the organization’s response to hunger and poverty throughout Central Indiana.