Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. – Frank A. Clark
The story goes that one day, a beggar by the roadside asked Alexander the Great for alms as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand.
Yet the Emperor threw in several gold coins. A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, “Sir, copper coins would adequately meet the beggar’s need. Why give him gold?” Alexander responded in royal fashion, “Copper coins would suit the beggar’s need, but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.”
This story is a simple yet powerful lesson in generosity, and it also serves as a valuable reminder for leaders to take to heart.
I read recently that for the first time, we have five generations in the workforce. This means that needs, priorities, and sources of meaning vary. Generosity becomes even more important because you cannot achieve everything on your own. We must acknowledge that generosity is essential as we work with and empower others.
How different might things look in your organization if generosity became the norm, and the desire to see others succeed was the key source of motivation? Is this even attainable?
Call me naive, but when leaders embrace an attitude of generosity, it can and it will create shifts within the culture. Are you ready to embrace it? What approach should leaders take? Here are a few suggestions.
Raise expectations
Often, it’s not a question of resources that leads to selfishness in the workplace, thus resulting in a lack of generosity; instead, it’s a lack of defined expectations. When generosity becomes the expectation, it frees people up to be more generous.
Raised expectations throughout the organization set the standard for your people individually and collectively. With generous expectations, generous results will follow.
Clarify the mission
Raising expectations is just the beginning of the shift that is necessary in your organization if you are going to be generous. Righting the ship away from a stingy, silo-driven culture toward a generous and compelling one will require clarity of task and mission.
As a leader, the shift begins with you. You must know the direction the team needs to move toward and what it will take to get there.
Lead by example
Leading the way as a generous leader is not just about shallow platitudes. It’s more than just a kind word at the start of the day.
Generosity is a cultural mindset that:
- Gives more than what’s expected
- Understands that the success of the organization matters more than my individual success
- Will share whatever resources I have freely
- Holds myself to a higher standard
- Will empower others to do what they do best without my interference
- Realizes that it’s not about me
When these attitudes become the driving force of your generosity, it will be the catalyst for the type of change you desire.
When considering what suits your giving, are you giving to others according to what you think your team needs, or out of a higher standard of giving that is abundantly generous?
©2025 Doug Dickerson
