08 Mar Be a Go-Giver (as well as a Go-Getter) in Life
No man is an island. Whatever your achievement, chances are you have been helped by others along your journey towards your goal.
We are encouraged to embrace the ethos of being a Go–Getter in life; perhaps it’s more important to be a Go–Giver?
5 Principles of a Go–Giver
Learning to trust and accept help
When you were younger, it was easier to accept help from others with more experience to complete a project. You knew your parents had better skills to build a wardrobe or change a tyre on a car. In the workplace, however, sometimes we fear asking for help and trusting to delegate in others.
Go-Givers trust their team members. They understand that several minds working on a project are better than one and proactively look for opportunities for team members to help and maximise their colleagues’ potential, as well as their own.
Accepting help is seen by Go-Givers as an easier means of achieving a goal, not a weakness or threat.
Praising and complimenting others
When did you last praise and compliment a colleague for their skills or good work…..and not expect something in return? By giving someone genuine praise you spread positive energy, boost that person’s self-esteem and their motivation.
A Go–Giver will give praise and compliment from the heart because they want to share their energy, boost the environment for others and empower the receiver to be the best person they can be!
Keep your promises
As we expect others to keep a promise, we too should remember to commit fully to our own promises in work and our personal life. If someone makes a promise and breaks it, not only do we lose trust, negative feelings are created which may have a lasting effect on that relationship.
Go-Givers give their full commitment to carrying out promises in their business and personal relationships.
Share your knowledge, skills and experience with others
In a positive empowering environment, work colleagues are encouraged to share their skills, knowledge and experience – this is one of the key features of successful companies highlighted by Jim Collins in Built To Last.
Be a Go–Giver and share your business experience, your skills learnt in a project and your own knowledge gained in your life as a whole. Isn’t it a bit selfish to keep your talents and skills to yourself, when you can make a positive impact on the lives of those around you? Go-Givers are natural mentors, encouraging others to learn and proactively being part of their development.
Pay it forward
Go-Givers pay it forward by sharing a kindness and doing a good deed for someone else without looking for something in return. They do the “right” thing at all times, without expectation of reward.
In a business scenario, investing in excellent customer service is an example of paying it forward. Creating the best environment and solutions for your customers may not be the quickest way to generate profit, however, in values based organisations it is the “right” thing to do.
So think about your own mindset. Do you do things in expectation of something in return, or are you a Go–Giver? Help a neighbour, a work colleague, a stranger by doing a selfless deed. Spread a little happiness, it costs nothing and there’s an endless supply to hand out!