Hello CSI,
As I reflect on the quote below, I am reminded of the Social Commitment Paradigm, a belief in a transcendent body of ideas and strong identifications with a group, institution, or method that is based on those ideas. In other words, socially committed people believe in something greater than themselves. In the human service industry, social commitment is valuable. Our mission statement instructs us to help person's with disabilities to find happiness, while facing an array of challenges as we navigate the path for their happiness. Moreover, there is minimal extrinsic reward. Fortunately, it is our mission statement, where a transcendent body of ideas and identifications propels us forward in being exceptional, giving "that" which sustains others, mentally, physically and emotionally.
To emphasize the importance of our mission and its relationship to social commitment, I share the following quote:
Career motives are not enough; an embodied idea is the institutional chariot to which individual motive becomes chained. When the idea is in command (our mission statement), essential employees are indifferent to personal cost. They often are not even aware of how much they have risked and how much they sometimes have sacrificed. As ideologues, as believers, they do not care. They are proud of what they have been through, what they have accomplished, and what they stand for. They feel highly involved in a worthwhile collective effort and wish to remain with it.
I want to thank each of you for being essential team members. I am so humbled, proud and amazed by all that we do. You are valued, because social commitment is valuable and each of you are socially committed to helping person's with disabilities to find their happiness. Therefore, you should be proud of your accomplishments working with the people we support, I know that WE ARE!
With much respect,
James E. Campbell, Jr., Ph.D., SHRM-SCP
Executive Director