February 3, 2012
Meaning: If you are like me, some of the good feelings you experienced over the holidays had a lot to do with giving. Last year, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of MDA Leadership, we gave away 30 pearls of leadership wisdom, never anticipating that we would experience the power of reciprocity. But we did – from giving away the pearls, we experienced ample receiving in return. You told us stories about the pearls in action; you helped us understand how to use them; and you passed them on to widen the circle. Futurist Bob Johansen believes that “reciprocity-based innovation,” such as IBM’s “Smarter Planet” initiative, will be one of the biggest changes in business over the next decade. Your leadership and impact can beneficially grow based on your willingness to give something of value away. The more you share, the more you receive in return!
Idea for Action: Those who are reciprocity-focused, according to Johansen, are typically the healthiest-minded among us. “According to psychologists, the happiest people are those who give, the happiest of the happiest are those who forgive, and the least happy are those who carry a grudge,” he said.
In the workplace, as colleagues or customers, we truly appreciate those who make us feel good. Last year’s Y&R BrandAsset Evaluator, which measures consumer values, attitudes and shopping behaviors, found that “U.S. consumers expressed a nearly fourfold increase in their preference for companies, brands, and products that show kindness in both their operations and their encounters with customers.”
How might you begin to instill a spirit of reciprocity in your workplace? A good way to start would be to model the positive behavior you’re seeking. That’s what the leadership of Liberty Diversified International has done the last two holiday seasons. Accompanying LDI’s holiday letter was a check for $15, with instructions for the recipient to make the check out to a charity of his/her choice. In a distinct way, LDI gave the power of charitable giving to its employees, customers and friends.
Leaders can champion reciprocity in multiple ways: manager-to-direct-report, peer-to-peer, direct-report-to-manager (yes, your manager needs support too!), as well as peer-to-peer. For instance, beyond the transactional part of an employer/employee relationship (“I pay you a wage in exchange for your work”), consider what you can do to make your entire organization a better workplace. Recognizing good work, rewarding someone who has gone above and beyond or taking time to celebrate results sends a clear signal to all employees of your reciprocal intentions.
Within teams, employees can readily practice reciprocity by not only doing their own part, but also helping other members before they ask for help or even before they know they need it! Multiple studies have shown that productivity increases when employees demonstrate “pro-social” behaviors, such as giving a hand to others.
While reciprocity isn’t a new concept, consciously practicing it at work may be novel to some. Start with small steps, and see the results you achieve. You’ll likely be amazed how giving something away gains so much benefit in return!
Best regards,
Sandra Davis, CEO