8 Audacious Actions
Exercise Generosity
“If you give away everything you need, it will come back to you when you need it most.”
To Achieve Success, We Must Be Generous!
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT to achieve the success we are after, we must be generous. And if we are open to giving away what we need, it will come back when it’s needed most. Generosity is vital, personally and professionally. Whether it’s time, talent, advice, or money, giving is a practice we can incorporate in how we live. Being a Black woman, I have always wanted to give back. I am confused by successful people, especially women, who are not willing to reach back and bring the next generation of women along with them to success.
What I learned was if you give away everything you need; it will come back to you when you need it most.
Demonstrating mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship are wonderful ways to exercise generosity in the workplace.
Sponsoring someone’s elevation in an organization is another way to exercise generosity. Sponsorship is bringing someone physically or verbally to the table who otherwise wouldn’t get an invitation to attend.
Envision Possibilities
Herstory
Marian Anderson
IN 1939, MARIAN ANDERSON, the internationally acclaimed contralto, made history. Because of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s sponsorship and allyship, Marian sang to seventy-five thousand people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and to millions via the radio.
The world-famous singer was previously denied the opportunity to sing at the Constitution Hall, which was owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), because she was Black. Eleanor Roosevelt was so outraged by the institutionalized racism displayed by the organization that she chose to resign her membership from the DAR.
Eleanor Roosevelt made arrangements for Marian to perform at the Lincoln Memorial. As Marian sang “America” to the world, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt smiled with pride.
Another First Lady, Michelle Obama, was a mentor to a bright young lawyer named Barack at a Chicago law firm. History books around the world proudly record how successful he became because of her mentorship!
These two examples, again, show how supporting and giving of your time, resources, and influence can turn the world upside down. But what is also inspiring is how these two ladies gave their attention—they noticed what was going on around them. They saw individuals, what they were going through, and acted in ways that brought about more good. This is something everyone can do, no matter the financial or success status.
