Which are you, Taker or Giver? One who puts your own interests first or one who contributes more than you receive? We’ve all heard “give and you shall receive.” Some take it literally and live it, while others think it’s only for losers and easy marks.
It turns out that there is a factual basis in the saying. In the same issue of Strategy + Business I mentioned last posting, there is a wonderful article, Turning the Tables on Success by Adam Grant. In the interest of full disclosure I should mention that he is a professor at The Wharton School where I happen to be Region Manager Africa and South America for the Wharton Global Consulting Practicum.
He discussed research showing that those give, who have compassion for others, “earn more respect and rewards than takers and matchers.” Matchers being those who hover in the middle and are always working to balance out their own giving verus taking.
Daan van Knippenberg of the Rotterdam School of Management has found that “employees work harder and more effectively for leaders who put others’ interests first.” Shimul Melwani of UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School discovered that “the single strongest prediction of leadership was the amount of compassion…expressed.” “They were were also judged as more knowledgeable and intelligent.”
All of which takes us to the realization that the path to great leadership is a willingnes to do what is best for the group and each of it’s members. The willingnes to help others be the best they can be rather than striving to always show yourself as the best. the willingness to be humble while elevating and giving support and credit to others.
What happens when you operate this way and become a great leader who inspires employees through offering help and sharing knowledge? As Nathan Podsakoff of the University of Arizona found, “higher profits, productivity, customer satisfaction, and retention rates.”
The path to greater successs? Put others first. And your success will follow.
This pretty much eliminates as “great leaders”, congress and many of our state and local politicians as well. Wall Street? As they say in Philly, forgetaboutit.
This same concept translates into everyday life under the title of “consideration of others”. How often will someone hold a door for you, or let you into a line of traffic? I could cite, ad nauseum, examples involving cell phones but that’s been done to death, sometimes literally. Now, ask me what I really think.