Generosity: gen·er·os·i·ty noun

1. The quality of being kind and generous. Abundance. unselfishness.

It’s more fun to give than to receive, and I’m honored that my friend Rose finds me generous. She should talk: Rose is one of those kindhearted women who put others first and gives of herself in big and small ways. Whether it’s baking a special sweet 16 cake for my daughter, or sharing her kids’ favorite UGG boot hand-me-downs, or offering a shoulder to lean on, she’s keen on the unspoken needs of others. Rose goes out of her way to find a reason to make people smile through unexpected (but certainly appreciated) tokens of generosity.

When I was younger, I naively tied generosity to the monetary, tangible meaning: giving money to those in need, sharing food with the poor through our Church’s food pantry, etc.

The Church (well, my church) encourages 10% tithing. However, not everyone can afford that dollar amount. More importantly, wouldn’t all of our communities benefit through the generosity of our time, talents and treasures? I believe that true generosity encompasses the sharing of gifts that are often far more beneficial in the end.

Sally Hogshead, (Creator of the Fascination Advantage® personality assessment at HowToFascinate.com), generously shared her gift for empowering others through her LinkedIn group. She allowed members a thoughtful (and scarily accurate) view of our professional personas through her personality assessment tool.

I had the honor of sitting front-row in the VIP seats at the amazing Archangel Summit and Sally was spot-on in her approach to positioning yourself.

“The greatest gift you can give to a client, colleague or friend is to help them understand their own distinct value.”

Sally was gracious and generous with the group because she shares more than just advice: she shed light on her personal path. That kind of empathetic sharing that encourages someone to listen further and to follow her advice.

“Better is a mirage…Different is better than better.”

Sally said, “When I was growing up, I tried so hard to be “better.” Better than others in my class… better than other job applicants… and then eventually, better than other people in my field. But “better” is exhausting. It’s a hamster wheel, trying over and over to compete and win. Finally I realized that instead of trying to be BETTER, we can focus on being DIFFERENT, and using our natural advantages.”

So a big thank you goes to Sally for her generously offering a clearer mirror to see ourselves. Clearer vision and heartfelt support is indeed a generous gift!

You can access your FREE Fascinate assessment at: www.howtofascinate.com  Code: Archangel

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Have you ever met a rainmaker? 

Brian Clark’s The New Rainmaker shared an interesting view of how generosity serves as the secret sauce for rainmakers: Business success through generosity predates the Internet by far. Giving first to get later is a timeless reciprocity strategy.

“The thing about generosity, though, is you have to give without expectation of getting in return — that’s the definition of the word.’

Brian noted “In my experience, I’ve always been rewarded for being generous, even though what comes back to me often ends up being unexpected. The upside of that is that often what comes in return is way bigger than my original generosity! It never ceases to amaze me.”

Like Brian, I’ve come across many folks who think that I am crazy for volunteering, or crazy for giving free marketing consultations. They somehow believe that others can “steal” my ideas, and if I teach folks how to do things then they will never need to pay me. Some business people hate the idea of giving something to people who might not ultimately hire them, but I disagree.

Quite the opposite! My career’s rear-view mirror proves that generosity has built a lifetime of good karma. The boomerang effect doesn’t always come back from the original recipient of that generosity, either.

Sometimes generosity takes the shape of mentoring and teaching; I truly enjoy watching the smile on others’ face when they benefit from my efforts. Nothing beats watching someone’s eyes light up with that “aha” moment when they’ve mastered a concept taught in my class. Or I love running into an industry colleague months after one of my workshops to learn that my advice shaved months off their learning curve, they were no longer afraid to command appropriate fees, etc. One client said that I helped his team find their SWAGGER – How cool is that?

Generosity begets generosity…not always in the same form, but hopefully it builds a ripple effect for personal and business growth. If I can help spark that kind of tsunami, so be it.

Lately, I’m finding many professionals struggling with their personal branding. They face a career pivot and must decide whether to move up, move over or move on!  They know that it’s time, and they need help, but are not sure how to start or what to do. My GENEROUS gift is a FREE VIRTUAL COFFEE to get you started. Book yours today!