It is my strong point of view that one of the best ways to create professional progress is with a purposeful strategy of giving back.
Now, I’m sure you are all thinking about examples that disprove that statement, but lets be honest, if you were a counter example, someone who could ignore others and still get ahead, you wouldn’t be reading my leadership development blog.
You would be on your private jet or something.
I stumbled on this point of view accidentally. It’s not like I didn’t care about giving back before, I just didn’t see the relationship to professional progress.
I began my deliberate practice of giving back in 2010, when I needed something meaningful to focus on and I wanted to find a new way to think about progress. At the time I didn’t understand what I actually learning, I just knew I was heading in the right direction.
Since then I have observed some interesting things about giving back and mentoring others
Focusing on others helps me find joy even when things are hard. In fact, giving to others is its own kind of bonus.
Giving back not only impacts those who are directly involved, but also helps build broader and deeper networks, authentically.
Giving back helps me avoid burnout because it gives me a more realistic definition of success.
It can make you feel good about yourself, and when you feel better, you do better.
It sends a signal to others that you are a high achiever and a star performer
It makes you more confident to ask others for help you need.
It can give you energy, which will give you more productivity.
Essentially a purposeful strategy of giving back is a way to make your own luck. And who doesn’t need more luck? Probably those guys on the private jet…
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