I have always been a giver first, something I was taught every day by my Dad. He was always doing things for our neighbors…cleaning up, fixing things, helping out in any way he could. He would do this without expecting anything back in return other than friendship, a smile, or even just the knowledge to himself that he was helping.
My Dad was the guy who would pull over, anywhere, and clean up a turned over garbage can and place it back where it belonged…and now I am too. Stand out by ‘Liking’ them before they ‘Like’ you.
The benefits (of enlightened self-interest) are simple…if you do for others, they will do for you. And it’s not about getting something back directly in return, it’s about building a reputation as a giver, and therefore someone people want to do things for.
Your Brand/Business is what you do; your Reputation is what people Remember and Share.
It pays off every day…and it starts paying off immediately because it makes me feel good…and that is payment in and of itself. On a personal level, I draw the line when it’s clear someone is just a taker, and is not giving back to anyone.
On a business/corporate level, I draw the line when it is clear a business has the resources to compensate me and is just clearly taking advantage.