Generosity: Give People What They Need

Generosity: Give People What They Need

Generosity: Give People What They Need

By Dr. Denny Coates

Once a controversial heavyweight boxing champion, Muhammad Ali nicknamed himself “The Greatest.” And maybe he was. After retiring from boxing, he became famous for his generosity. He devoted himself to humanitarian projects around the world, lending his name and celebrity presence to efforts to fight hunger and poverty. It is estimated that Ali helped feed more than 22 million people afflicted by hunger across the world. He generously shared his wealth, his time, and his considerable influence. For his efforts, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville focuses on peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth.

Give what you have that’s worth giving, and you will never be poor.

One of my favorite movies is “Pay It Forward,” with Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment. If you’ve seen the movie, you know it’s about generosity, perhaps the best movie ever made, highlighting this aspect of character. I’ve watched it a couple of times, and I’m sure I’ll want to see it again.

I believe generosity is an element of character strength because it’s not always so easy to sense the needs of others when you have your own burdens. Disappointment, pain, and loss have a way of focusing your mind inwardly. Additionally, people are remarkably different from one another, which makes communication, understanding, and appreciation challenging. In most cases, other people’s troubles are different from yours; you don’t know what these troubles are, which makes it hard to appreciate their situation. Imperfect people act imperfectly. Sometimes they’re thoughtless or careless, and the instinctive reaction is not a compassionate one. It can be hard to keep in mind that this is just another human being who struggles with life and feels pain just as you do.

What is generosity?

Generosity is the willingness to give without expecting anything in return. You do it with a selfless and open-hearted attitude and a genuine concern for the well-being of others. You offer help, resources, or support to those in need. Beyond sharing material things, you can also give your time, attention, know-how, and understanding.

Why is generosity important?

No one is immune from life’s unpredictable challenges. An act of kindness—even a small gesture—can make a difference. People who come to see you as caring and helpful will want to respond in kind. The relationships formed by acts of generosity can be meaningful and enduring, both in your personal life and at work. The people we work with—even customers—need us to be helpful. Children need us to share our support and wisdom.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill, British prime minister and author.

What you can do to strengthen your generosity:

  • Donate a portion of your income to charity.
  • Volunteer at a local charity or homeless shelter.
  • Offer free tutoring to an underprivileged student.
  • Donate blood.
  • Give support to someone facing a difficult situation.
  • Foster a rescued animal.
  • Donate clothing, blankets, or other essential items to relief organizations.
  • Help a stranger in need.
  • Organize a campaign to raise funds for a worthy cause or donate time and skills to a community project, such as building homes for those in need or participating in clean-up initiatives.
  • Help a coworker deal with problems or obstacles.
  • Offer to help a person in need, such as someone recovering from an injury.

The more often you give, the stronger your capacity for generosity will get. While you may sometimes overlook opportunities to be generous, you can discuss your experiences with someone you trust and learn from them. Stick with it, and you’ll get stronger over time.

Learn more about generosity and dozens of other character-related behavior patterns in Grow Strong Character, which is one of the key resources in the leader development system, Grow Strong Leaders. Check out other character strengths related to generosity: compassion, appreciation, service, empathy, and humility.

Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

331: How Self-Leadership Shapes Your Personal Brand

331: How Self-Leadership Shapes Your Personal Brand

331: How Self-Leadership Shapes Your Personal Brand

What if the only thing standing between you and stronger leadership is the way you see and lead yourself? In this conversation, Ben Albert shares how losing his job during the pandemic became the catalyst for his growth as an entrepreneur and podcaster.

We explore why self-leadership matters, especially when no one else is steering the ship, and how habits, relationships, and honest feedback can help you grow. Ben also explains how self-care, personal branding, and seeking out mentors can transform your impact on others and yourself.

We also discuss overcoming fears, turning weaknesses into strengths, and the power of empathy and curiosity in personal development. Ben describes building a supportive community of growth-minded leaders and why genuine connections are the foundation of lasting success. Whether you’re looking to lead more effectively or become a better version of yourself, you’ll find practical ideas and inspiration in this episode.

Ben hosts a network of 5 podcasts called “Real Business Connections,” ranked in the top 1% globally. He also runs a massively successful marketing firm, Balbert Marketing. Ben is on a mission to move the needle on one million lives, one conversation at a time.

You’ll discover:

  • How self-leadership can empower you during times of uncertainty and change.
  • The role of self-care in supporting both personal growth and your ability to lead others.
  • Why personal branding matters and how to shape the way others perceive you.
  • Practical ideas for overcoming fears and turning past weaknesses into strengths.
  • The benefits of joining a growth-minded community for networking and ongoing development.

Watch the episode:

 

Connect with Ben

      

Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

The Power of Courage

The Power of Courage

The Power of Courage

By Dr. Denny Coates

In 1980, I researched Army training practices to write a manual for junior leaders on how to train soldiers. I traveled to various units to observe best practices. One of these was Special Forces training at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, NC, where I saw trainees who were challenged to display courage.

On the day I visited, they were being introduced to rappelling skills. About a dozen drill sergeants barked at the soldiers as they climbed the tower, learned how to tie a seat, and took their first descent over the edge. It was loud, chaotic, and stressful.

I decided I needed a closer look, so I climbed the tower myself. At the top, I witnessed young men struggling to maintain their composure under the pressure to perform and the fear of going over the side unassisted. I wondered if the stress created by the drill sergeants had a positive learning effect. I was jolted out of my musings by one of the sergeants who came up to me and said, “Well, Major, are you going to stand there and watch, or are you going over the side?”

With a challenge like that, how could I decline?

What he didn’t know was that I had mastered rappelling skills in the Army Ranger School. I had climbed 100-foot rock faces without safety ropes. I had rappelled down mountain cliffs numerous times.

So I quickly walked over, tied my seat, and went over the side. I negotiated the 30-foot distance in one leap, braking for a soft landing. I went to the bleachers and sat next to an old sergeant-major as I watched the trainees cope with their fear.

Soon, the session was over, and the sergeant-major invited me to stick around and watch the families of the cadre use the rappelling tower. This time, there was no shouting, only laughter and encouragement. It was just a bunch of women and kids having fun. I watched little ten-year-old girls playfully do what 20-year-old male Special Forces trainees struggled to do. The kids saw the rappelling tower as some super-cool jungle gym. They had no fear at all, so the rappelling activity was ridiculously easy. They climbed the tower over and over. They couldn’t get enough of it.

    Leap the great leap, and you’ll cross the chasm.

    The Power of Courage

    For me, this experience illustrated that fear arises from our perception of the situation, which can vary from person to person. The rappel was exactly the same challenge for both the soldiers and the kids, but the soldiers had to face their fears in order to do it. They risked failure, humiliation, disqualification, and, they thought, personal injury. For those who succeeded—and not all of them did—it was a big deal. The training gave them a victory of courage and self-confidence.

    The soldiers who successfully completed the many months of Special Forces training would later survive more challenges to their courage. In the end, they would become experts in dealing with fear—icons of mental toughness, ready for anything.

    A Test of Courage

    I’ve faced some interesting dangers in my life. In Vietnam, I was an advisor to Vietnamese infantry soldiers. This meant that I was involved in some kind of combat operation several times a week—airmobile assaults, search-and-destroy missions, night ambushes, and so forth.

    I came under fire more times than I can remember, but I don’t remember being afraid. For me, the main feeling was irritation. I was angry that someone was trying to kill us and that I would now have to deal with it.

    Mostly, I remember concentrating on managing all the activities related to close combat. I had to have a clear head to keep higher headquarters informed, assess the situation, communicate with my Vietnamese counterpart, direct movement and fire, deal with problems, request fire support or medical evacuation, and manage it when it arrived. Naturally, a person couldn’t do all that if he felt fear. If fear raised its ugly head, it had to be shoved aside. Lives depended on it.

    A Different Kind of Fear

    I remember being afraid one night in 2001. The economy had been in a recession after the stock market “tech bubble” burst. When it looked like the economy might recover, 9/11 happened, which caused confidence in the economy to tank even further. My business was to supply organizations with learning and development resources, and funds for tools like these were the first to be cut off. Our sales plummeted, with no hope in sight. I remember thinking that something dramatic was about to happen to my company. We might even go out of business. I imagined the scenarios, and yes, I felt real fear. But we focused on creative solutions, and wonderful things have happened for us since then.

    Downward trend - Cause for fear

    Fear is a healthy, natural emotion. It’s a whole-body alarm to help you sense danger so you can do what you need to do to avoid loss, harm, or death. The question is, when you’re threatened, what will you do next? Will you act to prevent loss, harm, or death? Will you take a chance to open a door of opportunity?

    I find Norman Vincent Peale’s words empowering: “Too much caution is bad for you. By avoiding things you fear, you may let yourself in for unhappy consequences. It is usually wiser to stand up to a scary-seeming experience and walk right into it, risking the bruises and hard knocks. You are likely to find it is not as tough as you had thought. Or you may find it plenty tough, but also discover you have what it takes to handle it.”

    What is courage?

    When you feel discomfort or fear in an unknown or dangerous situation, courage is about thinking before you react. When faced with a worrisome situation, it’s natural to feel anxiety or fear—your body’s instinctive response. By setting aside your instinctive reaction long enough to think before you act, you can evaluate your situation—the risks and rewards—to decide what you should do and take effective action.

    Why is courage important?

    While fear is a natural and useful reaction to danger, if it continues to dominate your response, you probably won’t be able to do what needs to be done. Instead of retreating to safety, success will come from setting fear aside so you can evaluate the situation, take prudent risks, and deal with it.

    Courage - Grow Strong Character

    What you can do to strengthen your courage

    • When faced with discrimination, oppression, or wrongdoing, take a stand for your principles by advocating for your rights and the rights of others.
    • Express and defend your beliefs in spite of opposition. Voice an unpopular opinion, advocate for a cause, and refuse to compromise your values.
    • Resist peer pressure to stay true to your personal values and principles.
    • Take calculated risks while starting a new project, pursuing a challenging career change, or embarking on an adventure outside your comfort zone.
    • Persist to overcome a personal fear or anxiety, such as a phobia.
    • Exercise courage when engaging in extreme sports or activities that require overcoming physical limitations.
    • Take bold action at work or in your life.
    • Speak your mind regardless of how it may be received.
    • When you notice people you know doing things that you don’t approve of, stand your ground. Don’t follow the herd.

    The idea in all these actions is to keep fear from becoming a paralyzing emotion. If you feel fear, pay attention to it, but then quickly put it aside long enough to assess the nature of the risk. What are the chances that bad things could happen? How bad? What are your choices? What are the risks and the benefits of these options? I recommend that you work with a coach to discuss your experiences and learn from them.

    Learn more about appreciation and dozens of other character-related behavior patterns in Grow Strong Character, which is one of the key resources in the leader development system, Grow Strong Leaders.

    Leader-team communication and character skills

    Grow Strong Character

    Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

    324: Debunking Myths about Introversion

    324: Debunking Myths about Introversion

    324: Debunking Myths about Introversion

    What if your introverted nature wasn’t a limitation but a powerful strength in leadership? Dr. Nicole Bryan shares her personal journey as an introverted leader, debunking common misunderstandings and myths about introversion and highlighting its unique strengths. She emphasizes that introversion is not about being shy but about deriving energy from internal sources, which can be a powerful asset in leadership roles. Nicole’s insights offer a fresh perspective on how introverts can thrive in professional settings.

    She also provides practical advice on how introverts can effectively navigate networking and professional challenges without compromising their natural strengths. Whether you’re an introverted leader seeking growth or a manager looking to foster a more inclusive team culture, this episode offers valuable insights and strategies to help you succeed.

    Nicole is a certified leadership career coach, organizational consultant, and psychotherapist. She’s spent over 25 years helping introverted women define their own success, lead with confidence, expertly navigate company politics, and secure their executive seat to maximize their income, influence, and impact. She founded TheChangeDoc, LLC, for ambitious women looking to leave a legacy through their leadership. Nicole’s programs integrate psychology, key business principles, organizational behavior, and decades of real-world experience as a corporate executive to empower introverted women to make a difference, lead bolder, and create positive change for themselves, their teams, and the world.

    You’ll discover:

    • Common myths about introversion
    • Strategies for introverts to excel in networking
    • The importance of valuing diverse communication styles
    • How to create inclusive environments for introverts
    • Practical tools for understanding team dynamics

    Watch the episode:

    Connect with Dr. Nicole Bryan

    Dr. Nicole Bryan’s Resources

    Websites

    The Change Doc

    Leading Her Way Podcast

     

    Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts
    Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Spotify
    Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Amazon
    Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on Pandora
    Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on YouTube
    Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
    Leader-team communication and character skills

    Grow Strong Character

    Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

    Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

    Connect with Your Team

    Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
    and Meredith M. Bell
    Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

    Peer Coaching Made Simple

    Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
    and Meredith M. Bell