“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anne Frank : Jewish girl whose diary of her family’s two years in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands became a classic of war literature.
“Helping others is like helping yourself.” Henry Flagler : American industrialist, founder of Standard Oil, founder of the Florida East Coast Railway, known as the father of Miami and Palm Beach, Florida.
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Charles Dickens English writer, creator of some of the world’s best-known fictional characters , one of the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.
Servant leadership extends beyond an organization basic needs but focuses on putting the needs of others before their own. This type of leadership has proven again and again that “givers” (the ones who focus on giving) achieve more, perform more, accomplish more than “getters” (the one who focus on getting). Look at some examples of famous servant leaders who went beyond their own needs to accomplish their great mission :
- Nelson Mandela, throughout his imprisonment by the white minority who was ruling South Africa, has rejected at least three conditional offers of release. He didn’t want his message to be silenced, even if he had to pay the price of staying in prison.
- Mahatma Gandhi led common Indians in challenging the British-imposed salt tax with the 400km Dandi Salt March in 1930 and in calling for the British to leave India in 1942. He was imprisoned many times and for many years. His very long fasting was his way of protesting again British presence in India. He is seen as the major leader of India gaining its independence in August 15th, 1947
There are also very successful companies which apply the same philosophy :
- FedEx founder and CEO Fred Smith believes “when people are placed first they will provide the highest possible service, and profits will follow“. The “People-Service-Profit” philosophy is a unique company culture which has supported significantly the success of the company. And guess what ! : The annual “World’s Most Admired Companies” report lists FedEx as the No. 8 ranked company overall, and No. 1 in the delivery industry.
- As another service company, the thinking of Marriott is very similar: “Take care of associates and they will take care of the customers”. Marriott International has been named A Fortune 100 Best Company To Work For, for 20 years now !!!!
When I study success, I look for patterns among successful leaders and successful organizations. I believe that genius leave clues. Here is a clue to success :
“How can I serve today” is a winning mindset.
Now, the issue is that this giving mindset is not always natural. And that’s ok. We just need to make the conscious effort of going back to this mindset on a regular basis. Here are 4 key points to re-ignite the desire to give. Write them down. Read them once a week. And naturally you will more and more put yourself in a mindset of a giver
- Giving inspires. When you give, you inspire the world. People will look up to you and will be wanting to give more, just because they saw giving. Giving is contagious !
- Giving helps. When you give, the world is getting better. To make this world better, it starts with each of us. Let’s do it ! I always struggle with political debates, because it is a lot of talk, but there is not always a lot of actions behind the words.
- Giving feels good. When you give, you take care of yourself. The smile on the person’s face you give to is the most beautiful gift you can get. Giving reduces stress, Giving enables you to connect with others, Giving is a love expression,…Giving is selfless and selfish because it is good for the person you give to but it is good for you too !!
- Giving is easy. You can give whatever : time, money, energy, stuff, attention.Don’t overcomplicate it. It is EASY. It is not always about money. Sometimes a “good morning” with a big huge smile to a stranger is just enough.
So, let’s get concrete : how do you give ?
- REMIND YOURSELF AT LEAST WEEKLY WHY GIVING IS IMPORTANT. The list above : Giving inspires, Giving helps, Giving feels good, Giving is easy is a quick list you can write on a piece of paper, put on your desk, and keep reading it.
- BE PRESENT : The most beautiful gift you can give is not your money, but your attention. When you are with someone, be 100% with that person. List proactively, intensively. Don’t think about what you want to say when the other one is speaking. Give your full attention.
- BE HUMBLE : if you want to listen, to pay attention, you need to put yourself in a place of humility. It is not about YOU but about THEM.
- BE UNCOMFORTABLE : often giving requires you to walk the extra mile, to make the first effort. Go to a stranger and start a conversation. Call or text someone you have not been in touch with for months or years. Wave at strangers while driving. Make a compliment to a complete stranger about what they are wearing.
- ENJOY THE SACRIFICE : Giving means you are sacrificing something. Enjoy it ! Remind yourself why you are doing it, and that even if is a sacrifice now, ultimately you will feel good about it ! Accept and enjoy the sacrifice 😉
- SLOW DOWN : Giving starts with understanding who needs you. You need to pay attention. You need to look around. You need to spend time with people to understand their needs. You need to listen. We need to slow down.
I hope this article has inspired you. Now, I am going to make this day awesome. Are you with me ?
