The Power Of Scale

I work at IBM. So do over 400,000 others from around the world. The numbers are quite staggering. But more important than business metrics is the impact that large communities of people can have...when they work together.

In this, our 100th anniversary year, IBM has put a focus on the Celebration of Service program. This program unites IBMers, their families, and friends from across the globe, in an effort to impact our planet through community service. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? But how much impact can be driven through the efforts of just one company? Let's take a look at the stats...

So far this year, the Celebration of Service program has recorded over 3 MILLION hours of pledged and delivered service! Doing the math (and we LOVE math, don't we?), that equates to almost 380 THOUSAND 8-hour days. Assuming a full 7-day week (there are no days off when it comes to charity), that means this program has generated over 1 THOUSAND PERSON-YEARS of service! Wow!!

The number is hard to conceive. Imagine the impact this has had on communities, schools, local programs, etc. Last June, to close out our first 100 years as a company, IBM set ALL of its available staff on a mission of service. I was on business in Athens, Greece at the time, but I still did my part...picking up garbage at the Acropolis (and it's amazing how much trash can accumulate after 3,000 years). It was exciting to be part of such a large and impactful movement.

The program has received much praise and support from the public. Other businesses have even stepped up to raise awareness. Kathy Ireland, designer, former model, and CEO of kathy ireland WORLDWIDE, one of the world's most successful brands, even produced a touching video sharing her thoughts on the event. It's all a bit overwhelming.

So, with all IBM's corporate muscle, there certainly mustn't be any need for individual contributions...right? Of course, that's far from the truth. The power that IBM was able to unleash on this project was driven by the accumulation of many thousands of people, each dedicated to the cause. It requires individuals to be successful. People like you. That's the true power of scale!

If you want to learn more about this program, check out the IBM Celebration of Service Website.

   Don