“That which hurts, also instructs.” — Benjamin Franklin
When life throws a real challenge at you — divorce, illness, job loss, death of a loved one — it can be hard to imagine that anything good might possibly come from it.
In those moments, we may find ourselves so preoccupied with our own difficulties that everyone else’s problems pale by comparison.
And yet, if we’re fortunate, it’s those painful experiences that eventually teach us to be more attentive to the needs of others. Having survived our own tribulations, we emerge to find our hearts more open and generous to those who are facing their own struggles.
Been there
When my 5-year-old son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, I was terrified. I didn’t know the first thing about diabetes, and suddenly I was being told that my young son was insulin dependent. Volunteers from the local diabetes association — strangers to my family and me — supported us through it, until we accepted our new reality.
When my sister was dying of cancer, people of good will from our church and the cancer society were tremendously helpful, not just to my sister but to our whole family.
As a young married couple, my husband and I were stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, while he served in the U.S. Navy. It was a trying time for everyone — U.S. troops were still in Vietnam — and the support of the community was incredibly meaningful.
In these difficult situations and many others, people sustained me in times of need, offering their help in ways big and small. Because I know what it means to receive, I have a greater appreciation for what it means to give.
I don’t help others because it’s my responsibility to, or to “pay it forward,” but rather because I understand from personal experience that by giving my time and resources to charitable organizations I can bring some measure of comfort and peace to others.
Articulate the value
What does this have to do with leadership? Successful business leaders are good at articulating the value they bring to their companies. It’s my hope that those same leaders would understand the tremendous value they can bring to their communities — whether as volunteers, nonprofit board members or donors.
I know from experience that when we turn our talents and resources to helping others, we benefit personally and professionally. With serving others comes growth. We take on new roles, accept new challenges and hopefully gain new perspective.
To be a successful leader requires courage. And helping others requires courage too, perhaps in different ways — courage to step outside what feels safe, to encounter people we might not otherwise meet and to share someone else’s burden.
Ultimately we become better leaders when we find and tap into our generosity of heart.
Donna Rae Smith is founder and CEO of the Bright Side Inc.®, a transformational change catalyst company that has partnered with more than 250 of the world’s most influential companies. Donna Rae is a guest blogger and columnist for Smart Business.
