“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve” ~Martin Luther King

Have you noticed there is a cycle of giving and it can be contagious?

• Giving actions encourage others to give. We set an example by giving that demonstrates to others through our actions that giving is part of our essence.
• Being the recipient of a giving action encourages you to give.   Ever notice how embarrassed we sometimes feel when someone gives us something – either a gift or a kind note or someone serves us in some way?  Being the recipient of a gift can prompt us to give to others. 

Seeing others give makes us want to take part, making it contagious. The recipient feels great to be thought of and wants to continue the cycle. Helping improve someone’s life actually improves your own; keeping our life better balanced. So I challenge you to be great through giving. Make giving back a lifestyle to be emulated by others. Today, business is not only about making money, it’s about making a difference.

Here are some myths about giving back that may cross your mind. Do any of these sound familiar….

1. Giving back means giving money – MYTH. Giving time and talents is often more important then giving money.  Too often, it is easy to just write a check to assuage our guilt. It is often much harder to give of our time and our talents but the rewards are so much greater.
2. Giving back is difficult work without reward – MYTH. Giving or serving can be a fun activity for you, your family or employees. While the reward is not monetary, you may get more then you give.
3. Giving back is time consuming – MYTH There are many small ways you, your family or your company can give.

So, where does this leave you? How can I make a difference by giving back? Here are some examples both big and small;

• Make your company a force of good by organizing or participating in a charity event that involves the whole company.  As mentioned in in a previous post, Tranzact has participated in Light the Night for Leukemia & Lymphoma  and Diabetes Walk for Life.
• Companies can also support their employees that are fighting for a cause. At Tranzact we have support our employees by promoting what they are doing,  currently we are supporting employee raising money for St. Baldrick’s a charity for children fighting cancer.
• Tranzact participated in events such as Light the Night, we also support employees who are fighting for a cause.
• Visit a local nursing home – one of our employees brings her children to practice piano at a local nursing home and the residents love it.
• Organize a trip with family, friends or employees to Feed My Starving Children where adults and children help package food for starving children all over the world.
• Volunteer to be a Big Brother or Big Sister – You can change a life by simply being a friend.
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – just by reducing what we buy, reusing what we have, and recycling, you alone, your family or company can make a difference.  At Tranzact we recycle and reduce energy use just by reminding employees to turn off computers before they leave.

There are so many ways in which we as individuals or as a whole can give.  It’s seems to be a secret…that you will get more than you give. So I challenge you to be great.