I don't know how many of you follow Fast Company magazine. If you don't and you are into innovation and progressive thinking you might want to! Anyway, today has been renamed Generosity Day (see article for more info. http://www.fastcompany.com/1727145/re-booting-valentine-s-day-for-good?partner=homepage_newsletter). One of the questions posed in the article is this..."What's the business case for generosity?" What a great question!
It got me thinking about leadership generosity. How generous a leader are you? How often do you let others take the credit, even if it started out as your idea/concept? When was the last time you promoted the ideas and/or talents of someone on your team to another person...just because? When was the last time you encouraged one of your team to challenge themselves to a higher level, even if that might mean he/she moves on from your department or company?
What is the business case for generosity? In putting this question out to some of the leaders I have had the pleasure of working with I got some great real-life responses.
• "People see the generosity and they seem to work harder for me."
• "One top manager did end up leaving the department, however she recruited her own replacement who is equally as talented...she wanted a certain standard of replacement before she left!"
• "One of my team members opened up about goals he had (a risky move for him as he wasn't sure the company could provide him with the experience he was looking for). We were able to find ways to incorporate more of the training/experience he was seeking into his current role, instead of losing him because I was afraid to have the discussion, I actually gained far more than I ever could have imagined."
• "I have witnessed our managers passing the generosity on to their team members...it has become the norm in our company, rather than the exception...the ripple effect is awe inspiring!
So I ask you, what is the business case for generosity? How do/can you see it playing out in your role? How might it change the way you work/think?

‍