Jeremy Tauri: Why wait to make change

Jeremy Tauri

Any election campaign always brings the political commentators out of the woodwork.

As with any government that's been in power for a long time, the National Party has started to cop the blame for everything from interest rates to the global financial crisis.

Many people seemed to have their hopes pinned on a new government to "fix" New Zealand.

What seems galling about this is that it shirks our own responsibilities to do our own good. There's some parts of the community that the government can't and won't seem to reach.

Whether the party you voted for is in power or not, everyone has the ability to drive some of the change they want to see.

Rather than sitting around and bemoaning the action - or lack of - a government, come up with some concrete plans as to how you might contribute.

Businesspeople are well positioned to make changes. Start with the local community and identify causes that you are passionate about. You may find many are desperate for the sort of expertise your business provides.

They might want your governance help, or your practical support if you have a service business. Mentoring our youth and interaction with your schools may help young people find pathways for occupations. It may even lead to some part-time support for your business and an after-school job for a young person.

Look for opportunities to donate - this can also be a good way to build your business' profile as well as giving support direct to the causes you care most about. Some charities require volunteers - you could consider whether your staff might benefit from this opportunity.

You could set up payroll giving options for your staff to help them become more charitable, too. This is a simple way to give donations.

Find the cause and support it - you'll find that there will be more people thinking about making the same changes, are you the catalyst?

Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants.