This is the fourth of five articles based on my recently published book, Five Gifts of Insightful Leaders. The focus of this article is on "The Gift of Generosity." For more information on the book, click on the cover photo in the sidebar of this newsletter.

It was by far the most difficult day of your career. The news that your job had been eliminated hit you like a punch in the stomach. What would you do? How would you explain this to the people closest to you? What did you do wrong?

Your manager Bill realized how devastating this situation was to you and asked if you would have lunch with him. When you finally got together, it seemed as if days had passed, Bill began by assuring you that the situation had nothing to do with your abilities or performance. Revenues were down and the board decided to combine certain departments to cut costs. Bill went on to say that he would do everything in his power to find another position within the company for you. If he is unsuccessful in locating a position, he would use all of his resources to help you find a job in another company. Bill could have taken the easy way out and avoided you like the plague, but he didn't. He extended to you a 'gift of generosity.'

Here is a leader who understands the leadership paradox of "Giving Before You Get" or as I refer to in my book as, "The Gift of Generosity." He appreciates that it is impossible to achieve positive results by demands, threats or micro managing. To reach his goals he must first "give before he gets." By applying this philosophy he has harnessed the power to energize, encourage and gain commitment.

Let's look at three ways you can give The Gift of Generosity and increase motivation and the retention of critical employees.

1. Time

   How difficult is it to get any time with your boss? When you do connect, how long is your average meeting? Through this experience, you know how important the time spent in these meetings is to your success.

   A few minutes spent coaching a direct report in the following situations can be very productive.

   • Preparing a sales rep for a call on an important new prospect.

   • Giving feedback to a manager following a board presentation that did not go well.

   • Brainstorming with an engineer to solve a particularly challenging technical problem.

   • Preparing a young doctor for delivering difficult news to a patient.

   Your investment in time will increase individual confidence and subsequent performance. Caveat - Don't just provide time for formally scheduled meetings, look for ways to connect informally as well. These informal situations will help you to get to know employees on a more personal level and be a more effective leader.

2. Experience

   Your "years in the trenches" have given you the ability to accelerate employee development. Education and intelligence alone will not be sufficient for less experienced individuals to succeed. The gift of your experience can help eliminate many false starts and avoid disappointments. Make sure you have a system established to provide guidance and insight to your direct reports. Be careful not to provide quick solutions to problems, but do explore options and ask questions that will prompt creative thinking.

3. Contacts

   Most employees only interact with a small percentage of their organization's leaders. You are in a position to introduce people to your contacts throughout the organization. The exposure these individuals receive and the resulting exchange of ideas will be good for all parties. But don't stop here; share your contacts outside of the organization as well. Introduce employees to thought leaders, academics, suppliers and other professionals who will help to broaden their prospective. Ambitious employees will welcome these introductions and will learn the importance of extending the same generosity to their direct reports.

Whether you are leading at the top, middle or bottom of an organization, there will be numerous opportunities to positively influence results by being generous with your time, experience and contacts. Remember the words of Winston Churchill, "You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give."

Note: Our book, Five Gifts of Insightful Leaders, offers many more suggestions on inspiring high performance through 'The Gift of Generosity.'

• Recommended Article:

  "Developing a Diamond in the Rough"

• Recommended Workshop:

  Successful Business Presentations

• Recommended Presentation by Mark Campbell:

  Five Gifts of Insightful Leaders

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Copyright 2006, Mark J. Campbell. All rights reserved.
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"Mark Campbell partners with organizations for leadership development. For a complimentary subscription to his newsletter, "Management Challenges," go to www.mjcampbellassoc.com."