Thursday, June 11, 2009

THE GENEROSITY OF LEADERSHIP

From the "Maxwell Daily Reader" today, a passage about GENEROSITY and how it applies to the top of the ladder. Here is what John Maxwell had to say about the topic:

Nothing speaks to others more loudly or serves them better than generosity from a leader. True generosity isn't an occasional event. It comes from the heart and permeates every aspect of a leader's life, touching his time, money, talents, and possessions. Effective leadrs, the kind that people want to follow, don't gather things just for themselves; they do it in order to give to others. Cultivate the quality of generosity in your life. Here's how:

Give something away. Find out what kind of hold your possessions have on you. Take something you truly value, think of someone you care about who could benefit from it, and give it to him. If you can do it anonymously, even better.

Put your money to work. If you know someone with the vision to do something really great -- something that will positively impact the lives others -- provide resources for him to accomplish it. Put your money to work for something that will outlive you.

Find someone to mentor. Once you reach a certain level in your leadership, the most valuable thing you have to give is yourself. Find someone o pour your life into. Then give him time and resources to become a better leader.

Indian poet Rabindranath Tagor wrote, "All that is not given is not lost."