5 Ways To Pay It Forward At Work
“When you get, give. When you learn, teach.” - Maya Angelou
By now you have heard about “random acts of kindness”, and maybe have even been lucky enough to be a recipient. To know the joy of the toll paid or your latte for free is to experience first world kindness at its best.
Doing good things to others has a profound effect on our species, not only for the receiver of good and the giver of good, but for bystanders as well. Simply witnessing an act of generosity can be inspiration to create more good deeds.
All this being said, when we are feeling depleted and overwhelmed at work or at home, giving back is the last thing on our mind.
When we are feeling fatigued, the act of being kind to others may be exactly what we need to re energize.
Here are 5 ways to pay it forward at work:
Become A Mentor
By sharing knowledge with someone in your field or teaching a skill that you have, you are not only experiencing the mood lifting benefits of mastery, but also the joy of giving.
LinkedIn Endorsements
Sharing good words for a current or former colleague not only benefits the individual, but also reconnects you to what you value in the people around you.
Handwrite a note
In the days of slack and email, a handwritten note contains even more meaning than the words on the card. You can write to your clients, your team members, or even the leaders above you.
Pro-bono work
If you have the capacity to take on pro-bono work, it can be incredibly rewarding to support someone with limited resources.
Shout out someone
As a leader, regularly recognizing the efforts of individual team members is essential to building morale. Whether you do this in a meeting, or on a public forum, make sure to let people know when they’ve done good work in front of their peers, not just behind closed doors.
