“Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give.”
–Anonymous
Two weeks ago, I sent an email about my great-grandparents who immigrated from Germany to the U. S. some time ago. You can get the details here http://www.empowermentmentor.com/janmcdonald/happy-independence-day-2/. They came to America to grasp the American Dream and were grateful for the success that they were able to create.
My sister, Barb, read that email and texted me more about our Grandpa. Barb said that Grandpa was a real patriot. When the 1929 Crash occurred, he was one of the few people that left his money in the Cleveland Trust Bank when the “run” on cash occurred. Many people tried to withdraw their money, which eventually would have closed the bank for good. He left his money in the bank, and that took courage and faith. Grandpa needed both of these qualities to combat the fear and uncertainty of those times. AND in the midst of this, he was generous.
He did not collect rent from his tenants in the apartments that he owned in the Cleveland proper during these tough times. He allowed them to live there rent-free for some time until his tenants got back on their feet. My Grandpa has been dead for more than 50 years and I’m just learning more of his great character traits. In my opinion, Grandpa was great!
We know that leaders need to possess courage and faith, but generosity? Generosity is listed in John Maxwell’s book, “The 21 Indispensable Traits of a Leader.” He gives three ways to develop generosity;
1. Give something that you truly value to someone who needs it. If possible, do it anonymously.
2. If you know someone who is doing something great and making a difference, give them resources. Put your money to work on something that will outlive you.
3. Mentor someone. Once you reach a certain level in life, it’s time to give back to those who want to grow into their own unique potential.
I would like to add a number four. Do simple things. You can be generous with a good attitude, or a smile to those who cross your path daily. You can let that person with one item go in front of your full cart at the grocery store check out. You can take time to lend a listening ear to someone in need.
Today, I challenge you to show your greatness and generosity to others! Let me know how you do that–I’d love to hear it.
Go and grow!
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
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