Intentionally Giving Back to Others
Many of you know I work for a Fortune 50 company at its Corporate Headquarters. This week, my manager and I sat down for my performance review. During the meeting, he gave me a really nice compliment. He said:
“Some people are energy neutral.
Some take more than they give.
Some give more than they take.
I’d put you in this last category.”
Nice, right?! This got me thinking about how I try to give back at work and how I positively contribute to others.
Three categories came to mind of how I do this and how I’ve seen others do it as well. What’s more, they’re easy so you can do them, too!
1) If a problem, bring a solution
Early in my career, I had a superior tell me he appreciated the fact that when I identified a problem and wasn’t able to work through it on my own, that I would always come to him with a few potential solutions — rather than just the problem. This stuck with me as a valued practice I’ve continued to do.
So my mantra and advice is: When needing to take a problem to a superior, be ready to offer one or more possible solutions.
Saturday, the Midwest Food Bank will have families literally drive through (without leaving their cars) to receive a packed box, along with a fresh turkey, for them to take home.