Cream of the Crop This is a monthly column introducing professionals who represent the best in their respective industries Vocation to help others see again by Ella Lee Business sense allows NGO to surpass its goals Many individuals in Hong Kong are attuned to measuring progress in purely monetary terms. They judge success by comparing personal incomes and regard the accumulation of possessions as the ultimate sign of achievement. Fortunately, though, some members of the community realise there are other routes to self-actualisation. "My major achievement is being in a humanitarian organisation that helps people get back their eyesight," says Paul Forrest, director of ORBIS Hong Kong, who found his vocation in helping those in need. "The job is hard and I have to work long hours, but at the end of the day, I find it very rewarding." A believer in family values, Mr Forrest says that a family can make you feel comfortable about your limited time in this world Mr Forrest first realised the satisfaction to be gained from assisting others as a 16-year-old, when he worked as a part-time lifeguard and swimming instructor. "I had to teach some physically and mentally challenged children to swim, and water was especially scary to them," he says. "It was difficult, but I felt good when I saw what could be achieved." Although he went on to study economics at university in his native Canada, his overriding interest continued to be social concerns and what people were forced to suffer in different parts of the world. This led him to study the reasons for world hunger and, in his master's thesis, to examine the impact of AIDS. It also caused him to get involved in fund-raising which, he soon found, calls for good business sense and building relationships. "There must be a kind of trust when people make donations, and gaining that trust is similar to a business deal," he says. After a period working for The United Nations University, Mr Forrest joined ORBIS Hong Kong in 1999 as development director with responsibility for fund-raising. In 2004, he took over as director and, even though the organisation has non-profit-making status, his approach is to run it as a business. "Our goal is to achieve cost efficiency and the highest return on investment," he explains, adding that the objective of every campaign is to raise as many donations as possible while minimising expenses. To get a work-life balance, one should enjoy work, contribute to something meaningful, enjoy the holidays and make the most of them Financial control He is particularly proud of the fact that tight cost control allowed his team to allocate 78 per cent of their revenues (around HK$95.6 million in the fiscal year 2005) directly to their sight-saving programmes. "That was even higher than the standard of 75 per cent set by our US headquarters," Mr Forrest says. Another major achievement has been to maintain steady annual revenue growth of around five per cent in recent years, even when the local economy has been in trouble. Mr Forrest attributes these successes to the people who work for ORBIS Hong Kong. "We have a very professional team. They are good in their own areas and have the right attitude and understand the values of the organisation," he says. He stresses that members of his team are also good at problem solving and able to act independently, which he sees as essential attributes for anyone interested in working for a charity. "They should also put a high value on helping others," he adds, noting that salaries are not high and that bonuses and other financial incentives should not be expected. Having a strong team has made it possible to avoid major difficulties, but Mr Forrest points out that it also helps if you have a positive attitude and can see any problems as challenges or even opportunities. To get a work-life balance, one should enjoy work, contribute to something meaningful, enjoy the holidays and make the most of them Winning team In his current role, he says the biggest challenge to keep the team striving for further improvements and to provide them with opportunities for personal development. His style is to lead by example, communicate openly, and to encourage colleagues to use their initiative. Besides maintaining the present level of achievement, his future goals include positioning ORBIS as a leading NGO to work for. Part of this will be to keep a low rate of turnover of voluntary workers and to ensure staff have a real sense of job satisfaction. "NGOs in Asia are in need of professionals from areas such as marketing, finance and IT," Mr Forrest says. "In that sense, we are no different from big companies. We have people with diverse experience and technical skills and offer training so that they have the opportunity to develop very rewarding careers and great lives." Currently, ORBIS is planning to expand in Asia, with new offices in China, Macau and Singapore. Mr Forrest did not have any special mentor to guide his career moves, but does see his wife as the most important person in his life. "We went to the same church and have known each other since we were young," he says. Their 14 years of marriage and long history together have provided him with constant inspiration. Milestones 2004 - Promoted as director of ORBIS Hong Kong in charge of fund-raising, programmes and operations 1999 - Joined ORBIS Hong Kong as development director 1994 - Worked in fund-raising for United Nations in Japan 1991 - Started his career in fund-raising for a university in Canada Taken from Career Times 13 January 2006 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]