Three Ways to Cultivate Generosity

Being generous is an important principle to cultivate in business, at work and in life. Not only does it spread kindness and understanding in the community, it benefits your mental health. Generosity often breeds generosity. But untethered generosity can be overwhelming, expensive and exhausting unless paired with these three things: knowledge, boundaries, and skill. 

Knowledge

I ran an event for almost a decade with national brands as sponsors. I had an 85% return rate because I worked to understand the goals of each client. I would give more relative to those goals. I made it my job to have them reach those goals. I helped them understand better ways those goals could be achieved. I put a stop to things that might hinder those goals. I became an ancillary team member and got them across the finish line with success and flourish.

These  clients became loyal to me. I had an 85% return rate from event-to-event. These clients saw me prioritizing their needs, it made them feel as if I was on their team. My policy is always to underpromise and overdeliver. But the work I do for them is only valuable if I truly understand their needs. Just because I put more value on one thing over another, doesn’t mean my client feels the same. I need to understand what things would feel generous to my client and then do some of those things. 

Boundaries

Setting healthy boundaries is important for sustaining generosity. If you overspend physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially, your generosity ends. Being generous over a lifetime means that you are giving what you can, in ways that you can. 

At one event, I had a client pay for the lowest level of sponsor participation. That is fine. I love all my clients. But leading up to and during the event, this client demanded my time and efforts that rivaled my highest paying sponsors — those paying 90% more than she paid to participate. When she tried to return as a client the next year, I held a hard and healthy boundary and did not let her return. I knew what her demands were and I couldn’t afford them mentally, physically or emotionally. 

Skill

Understanding your skills and your abilities can help you to be generous. Giving in ways that come easily or naturally to you can be a benefit to others who struggle with that same skill.

Think about the things that impress others. They are often things you take for granted because they come easily to you. Are there things you can do to give those things to others? What are the small actions you can take that feel like love, support, kindness, or thoughtfulness to those on the receiving end? Identify those things and have them in your arsenal.

Showing generosity improves social connection and strengthens relationships. Implementing generosity in your workplace, in your business and in your life builds a client base, strengthen friendships and makes you feel better.