By Mansfield Frazier
Virtually every time I give a speech or make a presentation at an event such as TEDxCle or PechaKucha, a number of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young people approach me, business card in hand, gushing about how much they love what we’re doing with urban farming in Hough and offering to do some pro bono work. The problem is, most of them, it turns out, are bullshitting me — as well as themselves.
What I suspect is going on is that college professors or advisors are telling these young people that one way in which they can help launch their careers is by volunteering with some established organization or entity, thereby widening their circle of acquaintances and contacts. And our vineyard and BioCellar projects certainly are high profile and interesting, so it’s little wonder why these young professionals would want to glom onto them.
It’s a logical strategy, if (and here’s the big if) the young person actually follows through… which, at least in my experience, is as rare as hen’s teeth. They somehow have come to the conclusion that passing out a business card is the same as doing actual work.
And me, I’m a sucker for a sincere sounding story from young people on how they just want to give back. I truly do like to assist people starting out in establishing their careers in any way I can — but as one of my favorite sayings goes: Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die.
It happened to me again a few weeks ago at an event sponsored by a group of young professionals. I was asked to bring some bottles of my wine for a sampling, and then was asked to make a few brief remarks about what we do and why we do it. And just as sure as night follows day, three young people came up to me afterwards, enthused about our operations. I dutifully took their business cards, and as is my practice, sent each of them an email that evening, thanking them for their interest, and attempting to set up a time to chat face-to-face.
Out of the three one never responded to my email or to the voicemail I left a few days later; the other, a graphic designer, responded, and we set up a time to meet over lunch (buying someone offering pro bono work lunch is the least I can do) and when the day arrived I got an email asking that we move lunch to another day. I readily agreed, since, as the saying goes, shit happens.
When that day arrived I got another email, stating how swamped she was, and asking to move it yet again, which I agreed to, allowing her to set the date, while mentally making a note… strike two. I didn’t get an email the last time, I sent her one that morning to confirm lunch, and again she was swamped. When she asked me for yet another date I replied I’ll get back to you.
If this young woman is so swamped she can’t make a lunch date, when would she have time to do any pro bono work for me? And, again, if she were so swamped, why would she need to expand her contacts?
This is not the only case, just the most recent one, and the straw that broke the camel’s back. The most egregious instance occurred following my TED Talk last year. A fresh out of law school young woman approached me afterwards and gave me her card. Actually, a seasoned older attorney, new to the area also gave me his card on the same day. He even came out to see what we were doing, and then quit answering my emails. Maybe he thought it wasn’t worth his time after all.
But, anyway, our board attorney advised me that if I wanted to have this newly minted lawyer do some legal work for us, it would be best if I paid her a small amount, just to protect attorney/client privilege. I retained the young woman with a $500 check, and then could not reach her again. Gee, I hope nothing bad has happened to her. Maybe I should have called the Bar Association, just to check on her well-being.
I’m batting about 10 percent with these folks who allege they just want to help. In the future I’m going to ask more penetrating questions when handed a business card out of the blue. But then, there are always the gems like Erin, whom I just spent a few hours showing around the vineyard last week. She’s a young attorney, and I’m positive that her spirit, enthusiasm and dedication will more than make up for all of the duds.
From Cool Cleveland correspondent Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com. Frazier’s From Behind The Wall: Commentary on Crime, Punishment, Race and the Underclass by a Prison Inmate is available again in hardback. Snag your copy and have it signed by the author by visiting http://NeighborhoodSolutionsInc.com.
2 Responses to “MANSFIELD: I’ll Get Back to You”
Bill Rucki
I understand completely. I am part of an all-volunteer homeowner’s association and after a meeting everyone is all fired-up and ready to jump in and help. We collect names and numbers and then follow-up to assign tasks and schedule additional meetings and mysteriously no one gets back to us. Like what you have experienced this is not a rare event but the norm. I just don’t get it.
Gloria Ferris
I understand what you are saying Mansfield. I have encountered the same enthusiasm and fallen for the “I just want to give back” speech myself. I reversed the exchange I give them my business card and say call me or email me when you are ready to talk some more.
Seldom do I get replies. I will say this I have a few sororities and fraternities that look us up each year for their community service days and they are WELCOME volunteers.
I think that “giving back” somehow for some of us means “when I have the time” “when I have nothing better to do” or some other qualifier.
As I said once long ago to my friend Bill Denihan during his foray into politics “there are doers and there are talkers”. Look at it this way Mansfield if that professor asks them if they have contacted someone about community service they can in good conscious say “yes”, but they are talkers not doers and you really want the doers. Put the ball in their court give them your business card and have them contact YOU.