Degrees of Giving Leading With Generosity

>The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.

- Nelson Henderson

I am holding in my hand a graceful, inspirational book entitled "Ramban's Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It is Necessary to Give" by Julie Salamon. The book is based on the teachings of Ramban, a physician and philosopher who, more than a thousand years ago, developed Ramban's Ladder, which outlines the various forms of giving from the lowest - handing out money begrudgingly, as one might to a panhandler - to the highest, helping someone become self-reliant. I have long been meditating on the whole issue of generosity as an important quality of leadership: observing leaders who had it, and those who lacked it.

When we think of generosity, our thoughts automatically drift to gifts of money or charity. In the context of leadership, there are other gifts that don't have a monetary value, but whose value is beyond price. These include giving someone a chance; giving someone the benefit of the doubt; and giving others a reason to want to work for you. It entails giving others latitude, permission to make mistakes, and all the information that they need to do the job. It's giving them the authority that goes with responsibility - it's giving them due credit for their ideas. In a nutshell, all of this translates to generosity of spirit, a quality we admire in leaders.

Generosity, a word which once meant 'of noble birth,' used to be associated with members of the aristocracy who, by virtue of their privileges, were expected to show generosity towards those in lesser standing. A leader too, by virtue of her position, and the power and privileges that she holds relative to those she leads, has the same expectations and obligations. A prime obligation is to lead with a generous heart, and to be guided by a nobility of mind. A leader's generosity has a positive spreading effect - conversely, its absence has a series of negative consequences that, if a leader paused to reflect on them, may stop her in her tracks.

I am a firm believer that people need more than just 'a nice job close to home.' Most people want to find meaning in their jobs - they want to feel that they are a part of something bigger and something better. They want to know that what they do matters. A leader with a generous spirit understands this need, and connects the dots for people - the dots that help them see how the work they perform, no matter how small it may be in the scheme of things, has a bearing on the ultimate vision of the company.

There is a well-known anecdote that is related by Tom Peters about a hospital in the US that treats cancer. During a series of staff interviews, an interviewer asked the housekeeper what her job entailed. She responded, "I help to cure cancer." Somewhere in that hospital, a leader connected the dots for this individual, and made her feel that she was an integral part of the hospital's mission. Do you do that for the people who do the work in your unit or organization?

There is a lot of talk these days about lack of engagement in the workforce. Imagine how engaged people are when their leader makes them feel that they are a fundamental part of the success of the organization; that everyone, from the receptionist or mail clerk to the Vice President of Product Development, constitutes a binding thread, tightly interwoven into the company fabric - each equally doing its part to give the fabric its strength.

A leader with a generous spirit delegates not just routine work, but understands about delegating worthwhile work that becomes a gift of development and growth for someone else. How we love those leaders! These are the leaders that make us want to get out of bed in the morning and go to work to give that person the very best that we have to offer. These are the leaders who get our discretionary effort, every day.

And what about gifts of information? In a survey on effective motivation published by 1000 Ventures, one of the top items that individuals want in the workplace is the ability to be 'in' on things. This was rated 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. Managers ranked this item as 1! This is a large chasm in understanding. The quickest way to satisfy this need in constituents is to share information. We have all come across some leaders who are inclined to hoard crucial information as the currency of power. Leaders with a generous spirit give employees a chance to get under the hood and to be a part of the inner circle. Freely and generously sharing know-how, expertise, and ideas is not only beneficial for employees - it's a smart way of doing business.

Albert Camus said: "Real generosity toward the future consists in giving all to what is present." How often, as leaders, we are so focused on future achievements, on realizing the vision of the organization, that in the process, we neglect the people who are there. A leader of a successful software firm confessed to me once that she woke up one day realizing how much she had disconnected emotionally from the people who did the work in her organization, while focusing on the strategic imperatives of the company. Today, we have a tendency to be too self-absorbed. We become self-involved to the point where, without intending it, we exclude others; and we often only consciously notice that we have excluded them when they have become disengaged. Self-absorption inherently prevents generosity. Once in a while, it helps to stop and ask oneself: "Am I giving enough to the people around me?"

There is an African village where the greeting words for 'good morning' or 'hello' are: "I am here if you are here." Imagine the gift we give others when we are fully present with them - when we truly see them. Perhaps this is what Ralph Waldo Emerson meant when he said: "The only gift is the gift of thyself." Bill Clinton recently ended a speech to a 6,000-member audience with an exhortation to "see more people." This preceded his reference to all the people who do the clean-up work behind the scenes after the audience leaves. Do we give a thought to the people who are unnoticed in our organizations, those who quietly work in the background?

While generosity in its pure sense is altruistic, you do still get something back from it: surprise dividends in the form of a recycling of goodwill, a surplus of cooperation, and the sheer satisfaction of seeing another benefit from our giving of ourselves, our time, our attention, our knowledge, and the very best that we have to offer those who cross our paths at work or life. We will never know what opportunities we may have missed in life by showing up tight-fisted. It is hard to receive anything if we don't open our hands to give.

As a leader, giving people the gift of not just our appreciation for good work, but our genuine admiration for their talents, is generosity of spirit at its pinnacle. This is the difference between saying to someone: "Great job" versus "This was pure genius;" or "I appreciated your help" versus "I couldn't have done it without you." When it comes to genuine praise, like the sun at high noon, give resplendently. When you see good work, say it, and say it from the heart, just as you thought it. Free up the thought, and let it breathe - let it fly out there in the form of generous words, and watch what you get back. Giving is ultimately sharing.

Here are some practical tips to enhance our generosity of spirit:

1.

Give people a sense of importance
In Adele Lynn's book, In Search of Honor: Lessons from Workers in How to Build Trust, we learn that 55% of workers value "giving people a sense of importance" as the number one item for building trust in the workplace. Consider what small actions you could take intentionally today to make people feel that the work they do is important, and that they themselves, as people, are important to your team.

2.

Give feedback, not criticism
If giving frequent criticism is your style of management, consider some of these questions: Is your motivation genuine, or is it to gain points? Are you picking the right moment? Are you stopping to reflect how you might deliver the feedback while still honoring the other person?

3.

Give people visibility
Giving people visibility in your organization is a special gift we bestow to help others shine and grow. I encourage you to think how you might give people more access to senior executives, and more access to your boss. Consider as well that people like to know that their boss's boss knows the great contributions they made to a project, or about their significant effort in writing a report that does not bear their name. Knowing that our leader is representing us well to upper management is a high-octane motivator, and engenders fierce loyalty.

4.

Give anonymously
Real generosity of spirit is doing something for someone without their knowledge. Think of one or two deserving people in your organization that you can help by planting a career-enhancing seed on their behalf - perhaps saying something positive about their work to someone in authority?

5.

Know when to forgive
Martin Luther King said that "The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind." Consider how harboring vindictive thoughts, even though so compelling at times, is nothing but violence to oneself. A characteristic of a generous person is a total lack of resentment - it's in effect being too noble, too big for that. Who do you need to forgive? What do you need to let go?

6.

Give encouragement
Look around you and pick someone who needs encouragement, and resolve to give them that. Consider that some people have never received encouragement in their life - not from teachers, not from bosses, not even from parents.

7.

Give opportunity
One of the most valuable gifts we can give someone is giving them a chance. Is there someone right now to whom you could give a second chance to prove themselves? If so, what active steps can you take to create the right circumstances for them to succeed? What doors can you open for someone who is well deserving, but not well positioned to be noticed?

8.

Share your knowledge and experience
Resolve to become a philanthropist of know-how. What knowledge, expertise, or best practices can you share with others as a way to enrich them? For inspiration, read about other leaders who practice teaching in their organization for everyone's benefit - for example, Jack Welch, whose calendar was filled with hundreds of hours spent teaching thousands of GE managers and executives at the company's training center at Croton-on-Hudson; or the ex-CEO of Intel, Andy Grove, who devoted considerable amounts of time to teaching newly hired and senior managers his philosophy on how to lead in an industry where innovation goes stale very quickly.
9.

Give moral support
Public speaking is known to be among the greatest fears experienced by millions of people. The next time you attend a presentation given by an apprehensive team member, practice giving them moral support. The simplest of generous acts are abstaining from checking your Blackberry, giving the odd nod in agreement, and practicing looking with kind eyes. Finally, take some inspiration from Walt Whitman's beautiful words: "The habit of giving enhances the desire to give." Giving is like building a muscle. It requires practice and persistence – once it becomes habitual, you will emerge as a stronger leader.

Copyright © 2008 by Bruna Martinuzzi. All Rights Reserved.

Based in British Columbia, Bruna is the President and Founder of Clarion Enterprises Ltd, a company which specializes in emotional intelligence and leadership training.

Degrees of Giving is just one of Bruna's articles about leadership and emotional intelligence, published here at Mind Tools.
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10 Habits that Bosses Love

Every boss wants employees who do their jobs well. But even among highly competent employees, there are distinctions. Here are 10 tips for making sure you're on the boss's A-list:

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Especially at the beginning of your relationship -- that is, when either you or the boss is new to the job -- err on the side of giving your boss too much information and asking too many questions.

"There's no such thing as a dumb question," says Marianne Adoradio, a Silicon Valley recruiter and career counselor. "Look at it as information gathering."

Don't keep up the constant stream of communication unless your boss likes it, though. It's best to ask directly whether you're giving the boss enough information or too much.

2. Acknowledge what the boss says. Bosses appreciate "responsive listening," says John Farner, principal of Russell Employee Management Consulting. When your boss asks you to do something or suggests ways for you to improve your work, let her know you heard.

3. Collaborate. When your boss has a new idea, respond to it in a constructive way instead of throwing up roadblocks.

"Be willing to brainstorm ways to get something done," says Michael Beasley, principal of Career-Crossings and a leadership and career development coach.

4. Build relationships. You'll make your boss look good if you establish a good rapport with your department's customers, whether they're inside the company or outside. Bring back what you learn -- about ways to offer better customer service, for example -- to your boss. This is also helpful for your own career development.

"Everybody wins in the long run," Adoradio says.

5. Understand how you fit in. Is your boss detail-oriented, or someone who keeps his head in the clouds?

"The boss's personality is just incredibly important," says Norm Meshriy, a career counselor and principal of Career Insights.

Equally important is understanding what your boss wants in an employee. It may be, for example, that a boss who is detail-oriented will expect his employees to be as well. But a boss who has no time for details may actually appreciate an employee who does.

6. Learn the boss's pet peeves. If your manager has said repeatedly that she hates being interrupted first thing in the morning, don't run to her office to give her a project update when you first get in.

7. Anticipate the boss's needs. Once you have worked with your boss for a while, you should be able to guess what information he will want before approving your purchase order, for example.

If you provide it ahead of time, "that's a gold star," Farner adds.

8. Think one level up. You still need to do your own job, of course. But when managers consider who deserves a promotion, they look for people who understand the issues that their bosses face.

9. Open yourself to new ways of doing things. When your boss comes to you with a new idea, don't simply dismiss it. If you don't think it will work, offer to discuss it further in "a mature, responsible, adult-like way," Beasley says.

10. Be engaged in your work. Arguing with your boss over every request is not a good strategy, but neither is simply shrugging your shoulders and agreeing with everything your boss says. "The manager would like to see an engaged individual," Beasley says. That means both showing enthusiasm for your work and speaking up when you see room for improvement.

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Eliminate Procrastination

Eliminate procrastination

The essence of procrastination is very well reflected in this quote by Bernard Meltzer: "Hard work is often the easy work you did not do at the proper time."

Are you affected?
Have you ever seen your most important tasks being put off until later and then later and later, while you are getting busy with many not so important activities? Did you hope that you may have more time and better mood in the future to start the task and do it properly? Does an approaching deadline mean a crisis for you? Do you keep hesitating every time you make a decision?

If you often see yourself in such low productivity situations, then there is a big chance that your life got under control of the procrastination habit. And those situations are only the most explicit symptoms.

What is it?
A basic definition of procrastination is putting off the things that you should be doing now. This happens with all of us time after time.

Yet, what makes a big difference for your success is your ability to recognize procrastination reasons and expressions in their different forms, and to promptly take them under control, before this bad habit steals your opportunities, damages your career and pride, or destroys your relationships. So why do not you do it now?

Causes of procrastination

What are typical reasons why you procrastinate? Procrastination: Do it now! Here are a few of the most common situations to consider in your anti procrastination efforts.

It can be as simple as

* Waiting for the right mood
* Waiting for the right time

Then look at the way you organize your work. You may notice other reasons for procrastination like

* Lack of clear goals
* Underestimating the difficulty of the tasks
* Underestimating the time required to complete the tasks
* Unclear standards for the task outcomes
* Feeling as the tasks are imposed on you from outside
* Too ambiguous tasks

And there are also many connections with

* Underdeveloped decision making skills
* Fear of failure or fear of success
* Perfectionism

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What employees want: getting the balance right

Earlier this year a series of chain e-mails circulated that showed off Google's mouth-watering office environment, with "colours, lighting, and shared room locations to encourage focused creativity and interaction", alongside massage rooms, deluxe cafeterias and games areas. As you take a look around your (possibly blander) office, the thought may have occurred to you: is this really what employees want? Or does it take more than a fancy office fitout and bright employee perks to attract and retain employees? What if the basic building blocks aren't in place - do the rules change?

The fundamentals
As in previous years, 300 candidates applying for jobs across a range of industries through the CareersMultiList network of employment agencies were asked a series of questions to determine what they wanted from their job, their insights into recruitment agencies, and why they left their previous roles. Candidates were able to choose the top three benefits or features (from a list of 10) that were most important to them when choosing a new employer.

The survey results revealed that the 'big three' (salary & remuneration, career development & training, and workplace culture & environment) remain firmly entrenched at the top of the list. When weighted responses were tallied (totals of those candidates voting one, two and three), the top three for 2008 emerged: work culture and environment (24%), closely followed by career development and salary/remuneration coming in equal second with 20% each. Given some minor reshuffling, the results are similar to 2007, when culture was number one (23%), followed by career development (22%) and then salary (19%).

Greg Riley, director of CareersMultiList, believes that by and large the market has moved on from looking solely at remuneration as a factor for switching jobs. "When we first did the survey two or three years ago we'd been through a quieter time in the marketplace, and candidates were less keen to move. I think now there's a fair bit of competition on salary, and over the last few years salary has built up a little more and most candidates are satisfied with that side of things. Their focus has shifted to other factors," he says.

To put it even more plainly, people will not take a job just for money - especially if they feel relatively secure in their current job. Indeed, concern over the economy has shaded many responses to this year's survey, as people 'make do' with their current positions. However, the fundamentals still ring true. "If candidates believe a company doesn't provide career opportunities and the sort of work culture they want to work in, then even if the salary is reasonably high they won't take the job," Riley says.

There is greater interest to be seen in fourth place, where values and ethics came in with 12% of votes. This has moved from sixth place just two years ago. With the focus increasingly on corporate social responsibility, sustainability and corporate branding to advertise these initiatives, this is hardly a surprise. It also demonstrates that employees and candidates are looking at these issues more than ever before.

"Organisations are increasingly promoting the values they stand for, and will actively demonstrate their involvement in social awareness programs and social responsibility programs. Candidates are becoming aware of those companies that contribute to the community and those that don't. We know from experience that there are some companies and industries that it's very difficult to recruit for. There are some that would prefer not to display their brand, for instance, in display advertising. They don't feel their brand is an attractor for candidates - that could be because they've got a reputation for cutting costs or people have been made redundant, there could be all sorts of reputational reasons why people don't like them," Riley comments.

Does age matter?
As most HR professionals and recruiters are no doubt aware, the attractors of a job will be different for different people - especially when it comes to age. It's interesting to note that the top priority specified by the 16-25 age group was career development. With these workers setting out on their careers and looking to fast-track their pathway to the top, it's hardly surprising that this is the case.

For the 26-35 age group the priorities shifted towards factors like management style and the ethics and values of the company. The two primary concerns for the 36-45's meanwhile were work culture and environment and salary & remuneration - no doubt as raising families and paying mortgages off becomes a priority.

Although only representing a small percentage of the overall survey respondents, for those aged 46+ there was a marked shift towards placing the values and ethics of the company as a top priority. Not only does this age group have many years of workplace experience under their belt and are aware of what works for them in terms of management style and work culture, they are perhaps in a position to look at their personal and professional legacy with a more critical eye.

Nice but not yet essential
Given the brouhaha and amount of time and resources dedicated to allowing workplace flexibility, it's surprising to see how low these ranked as priorities. Flexible work hours garnered only 5% of weighted votes while work from home garnered a negligible 4%. As the parental leave debate hots up and more and more people transition to retirement it will be interesting to see these results for these benefits in coming years.

Why are they leaving?
It's also apparent that the reasons why people leave one employer are different to the reasons why they join another employer. "The question of how you attract candidates cannot be answered by asking current employees why they're there, and that's why a survey of job hunters is useful," Riley maintains.

Again, it's not money (or lack thereof) that is the overwhelming 'push' factor. Only 14% of respondents listed that as a reason for leaving their previous employer. Nor is it conflict with a direct manager, which is frequently cited as a major reason why people leave. Coming out on top was simply the need for a change (21%) or improved career options (18%). Again, this is a strong indication that it is those organisations that can offer clearly defined career paths and the resources to help employees follow those paths that will stand to benefit. Interestingly, 13% of respondents listed 'job with more meaning' as a key reason for leaving their previous employer, indicating that those engaged with their work and aligned with the company's core raison d'etre could be factors in keeping them there.

Redundancies accounted for just 6% of respondents leaving their previous employer - a statistic that will no doubt increase in the coming year as more employers tighten their belts.

As for what organisation type is most attractive, large stable companies came out on top by some margin with 38% of the votes. Given the increasing likelihood of tough economic times ahead it's not surprising that the perceived job security of larger organisations is a factor. Fast growing dynamic companies took out 22% of the vote while SMEs accounted for 19%.\

"Obviously big and fast growing companies are very attractive, but having said that there's a large following for small companies. Whether big or small, it's really a worthwhile exercise for organisations to communicate to candidates exactly who they are and what they stand for so they can attract the right kind of candidate," Riley says.

General economic conditions have also likely influenced responses to the question regarding preferred salary/remuneration options. An overwhelming 84% of respondents selected 'strong base salary only' as their preferred remuneration package - indicating that cash in hand (or in the bank) is king.

"People like the strong base salary, and if they did have a bonus they preferred it to be on a personal basis rather than a company profit - and they weren't particularly keen on non-salary benefits," Riley concludes.

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Acting Like a Professional or Acting Like a Phony?

by Marshall Goldsmith

“It’s the avenue, I’m taking you to, 42nd Street!”

The singers sing, the dancer’s dance and the actors act. On Broadway there is always something wonderful on stage. In many ways, Broadway is the definition of “performance.”

I am inspired by great theater. Every night, great performers pour their hearts into each production. Some have headaches, some have family problems, but it doesn’t really matter. When it’s show time, they give it all they have. Although it might be the thousandth time an actor has performed the part, it might be the first time the customer sitting in the fourth row has seen the production. To the true performer, every night is opening night.

Like great actors, inspirational leaders sometimes need to be consummate performers. When they need to motivate and inspire people, they do it. It doesn’t matter if they have a headache. They do whatever it takes to help their organization succeed. When they need to be “on,” like the Broadway stars, it’s show time.

One of the greatest leaders I know is Frances Hesselbein, the former executive director of the Girl Scouts of America and now chairman of the Leader to Leader Institute. I am not alone in my assessment of her talents. Peter Drucker once noted that she was perhaps the most effective executive he had ever met. As a tribute to her leadership skills, President Clinton awarded Frances with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award that can be given to a U.S. civilian.

Frances is also one of my best friends. Like all humans, Frances faces the same problems we all face. Just like you and I, she has lived through health problems, tragedies with friends and family issues. Like all great professionals, when it is time for Frances to work, she is always there. I have seen her turn down an invitation from the U.S. president to give a talk (at no fee) for a non-profit organization in a small town. When she makes a commitment, if it is humanly possible to be there, she delivers. It doesn’t matter that a “better deal” came along later. She not only makes an appearance, she is up, she is positive, she is inspirational and she gets the job done.

Until recently, I always had a dilemma. As an executive educator, who helps successful leaders achieve a positive change in behavior, I, in a way, teach people how to act. When is acting part of being a professional? When is acting part of being a phony? I want to help leaders learn how to be great performers, but I never believe that they should be phonies or unreal. How can I, as a coach, understand the difference?

My client Ted helped me answer this question. I worked with him for a year, trying to help him fit in a corporate culture where he really didn’t belong. At the end of the year, I finally said, “Why don’t you leave? You are so miserable that you are starting to depress me!”

He finally saw the light, left the company and is now doing something he loves. There was nothing wrong with the company. There was nothing wrong with Ted. He just didn’t belong there. It wasn’t him.

If you are in the right job in the right company, and you are learning how to perform to the best of your ability, you are being a true professional. If you are in the wrong job in the wrong company and you learn to act so that you can better fit in, you are just being a better phony. It still isn’t you out there.

Today Ted is a lot happier. He spends his time thinking up creative ideas in his new company, and he’s having a ball. He is not only adding value for the company, he is also adding value for the world.

Think about your job. As a professional, is your job consistent with the person that you really want to be?

If the answer is “yes,” be like the great actor. Be like Frances Hesselbein. Put on a great show. Be the consummate professional. Learn to keep developing your ability to perform, so you can get even better than you are today. If you love what you do, a great coach might even help you get better.

If the answer is “no,” change jobs as soon as you can. Why bother to become a better phony? Even if you do get a coach and learn to modify your behavior, it won’t count for much. Why? It won’t really be you.

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Mediatec Publishing
http://www.wpsmag.com/

Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There is the Harold Longman Award Business Book of the Year for 2007. All of his articles and videos online are complimentary at www.MarshallGoldsmithLibrary.com.

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Recognition helps firms retain talent, says consultant

PETALING JAYA: Organisations that successfully retain talent all demonstrate the ability to recognise and meet certain needs of their employees.

While financial considerations are of obvious importance, there are other more important factors that determine just how successful organisations are in retaining their top talent.

Psychologist Dr Goh Chee Leong, who is vice-president of HELP University College, said high performers needed to feel that there was an alignment of their talents with their job functions.

“The simple psychological reality is that people want to be successful in their work and they want to do what they do best,” he said in an interview. “Top talent will leave when they perceive that their gifts and abilities are not being fully utilised or recognised.”

According to Dr Goh, who has served as a corporate consultant for various organisations in the region, organisations need comprehensive systems that identify, manage and reward talent within the organisation.

“Having a clearly-defined career progression pathway and development plan is also essential in retaining top talent,” he said.

Top performers were often “ambitious and driven individuals who want to be part of organisations that will provide them with a well-defined pathway for further growth,” he added.

Another key element in talent retention is leadership and people management. The old maxim still holds true that “people don’t leave companies, they leave their bosses”.

“When organisations successfully create a culture of leadership that enables growth, achievement and ownership among the team, people are more likely to stay,” said Dr Goh.

Dr Goh is one of the 12 speakers who will be discussing talent retention and other key talent management issues at the upcoming Asia Strategic Talent Management Forum 2008.

Other speakers include organisational and clinical psychologist George Kohlriesser, MindValley CEO and co-founder Vishen Lakhiani and Johnson & Johnson Global Talent Management director Roshan Thiran.

The forum, which is organised by training firm Leaderonomics Sdn Bhd, will be held on Nov 13 at the Sime Darby Convention Centre.

Its key sponsors are StarBiz, Sime Darby Bhd and Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

Tickets are priced at RM950 per participant.

For more information, call Ang Hui Ming at 03-7957 5809/5804 or e-mail conference@leaderonomics.com or log on to: http://www.leaderonomics.com/conference/talentmanagement2008.html

Story excerpt from The Star, Starbiz B5, 1 November 2008

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