If you have been lucky enough to encounter generous people, you understand that they have a truly unique gift for garnering the respect and admiration of individuals around them. When you are a leader, having a positive relationship with the people who follow you is a huge asset that you simply cannot put a price on. If you are looking for ways to become a better leader, increasing your generosity can improve your effectiveness and contentment. Here are a few things you can begin doing to increase your generosity.
Fully understand the benefits of being a generous person
Being generous because you know it is the right thing to do and being generous because it is something you value are two different things. If you want your generosity to be effective it is important that it comes from a place of sincere care and concern for those you are leading. Being generous to others not only lowers their anxiety and increases their appreciation for you, it also adds to your personal happiness and health.
Look for moments to be grateful
Being grateful could be as simple as sending out a brief and personal thank you email when the occasion arises. You do not need to create a large display or spend a lot of money to make people feel valued. Simply watch for positive behavior in others and when you see it, make a mental note to acknowledge it and express your gratitude.
Find opportunities to give back to your community
Depending on your resources and the capacity in which you are leading others, the extent of your reach may vary, but don’t let that stop you from finding ways to give back to your community. Most homeless shelters have standing requests for donations of socks, bottled water, coats and blankets. Speak to your company to gauge their interest and help to organize a supply drive or fundraiser to give back to your community. When the people you lead see you being generous, it puts your character on display and often increases the level of respect they have for you.
Become more optimistic and hopeful
Naturally generous people are often idealists. They have a perception of how the world around them should be and they believe in the goodness of people. If you are naturally pessimistic, becoming an optimist could be a struggle for you, but it is not insurmountable. Next time a challenge arises on the team you are leading, go above and beyond to believe the best in others and trust that the outcome will be positive even when it may not look that way on the surface.
Look for opportunities to trust others
Trusting others may not seem like a quality of a generous person, however, one of the greatest ways you can be generous with others is by trusting them enough to allow them to take the lead on things that matter to them. Trust their ideas and more importantly, their ability to complete the task at hand. When you loosen your grip as a leader and trust the people around you to do what needs to be done, they will in turn see you as a more trustworthy, generous leader.
There are many ways you can express your generosity towards others. When you look for opportunities to be more understanding and helpful, the people you lead will become more secure following you. It is important to gain trust and respect when you are a leader and one of the best ways to do that is by being generous as often as possible!
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