NZ President’s Report | Welcome

“Are you using all 4 of your T’s?” a leading philanthropist recently queried everyone in the room.

“4 T’s?” I pondered. Time, Talent and Treasure, sure, but what is the 4th T?

Ties. Ties as in connections. Ties as in relationships. Ties as in connecting people. Ties as in aligning the right people with the right cause at the right time for the right outcome.

Dr Meg Jay, author of The Defining Decade—Why your twenties matter and how to make the most of them now, writes an entire chapter on what she calls “weak connections”. Her examples speak to the power of one person helping to connect another person. Sometimes the connection is for a job; sometimes it is to meet a potential life partner; sometimes it is to connect people for a cause.

The point is that things happen because of the ties which exist between people. And those ties often come from a weak connection started by just one person.

I left this seminar feeling challenged. Yes, I am giving of my time, talent and treasure as both a professional and as a volunteer, but how am I giving of my Ties?

The more I thought about it the more powerful it became. If I can activate my ties to be engaged in projects we share or simply to encourage them to utilise their ties for their favourite causes, will we not achieve more?

Ties work because they start with connection but build upon enabling others to maximise the ties for a greater benefit. As each person builds on his or her connections, the circle widens and soon different spheres have more people working together to make good things happen.

Many of you will have a personal tie with Martine Foster, Rob Hay, Rose Crossland and Jill Rodgers. All of you have a tie with them because they have served as outstanding Committee members for the NZ Chapter of Educate Plus for many years bringing their 4 T’s to make our organisation better.

Martine, Rob, Rose and Jill are stepping down from the Committee this year, and I know you will all join me in thanking them for all they have done. Each has made an extraordinary contribution of Time, Talent, Treasure and Ties. We would not be where we are today without their leadership and commitment to Educate Plus.

Enjoy your holidays, reflect on the successes of the year and challenge yourself to use your ties to make positive connections for your institutions and for people close to your heart.

Catherine Boyer F.Edplus
President EducatePlus NZ