⭐WF6 Generosity: What's in it for me? Feat. Alan Weiss and Leanne Hughes
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Alan Weiss joins me with a martini in hand (and I’m on Starlink in the rain) to unpack a question most of us feel a bit guilty asking: what do we actually get out of being generous?
Alan’s answer starts with a guardrail. Generosity isn’t self-sacrifice, and it isn’t atonement for something you got wrong. You put your own oxygen mask on first, then you help others. Writing a cheque is easy. Giving your time, sitting on boards, or simply listening to someone without jumping in with your own story is where real generosity lives.
We get into the business side too. Alan’s contrarian take: if you want to grow your business, stop focusing only on your business. A full life makes you better at your work. He also reframes “free content” as “free value”, explains why his books are gravity rather than a revenue stream, and shares how he handles LinkedIn requests for free advice (spoiler: he doesn’t give it, but he does point people somewhere useful).
One idea that stopped me in my tracks: if you make an exception for one person’s inappropriate request, you’re being unfair to everyone you’ve already said no to.
Plus, the story behind Million Dollar Consulting (originally titled Confessions of a Consultant, rejected 15 times, and still listed that way on Alan’s royalty statements 34 years later), a Hugh Jackman towel auction, and a $5,000 paddle raise that people talked about for months.
Audience questions we tackled
Belinda Shaw asked what to do when someone criticises the help you gave them. Andy from Rhode Island asked how generosity fits inside paid client work. Mel Loy asked the most Australian question we’ve had yet: what do you do when someone starts taking the piss with your goodwill? We also chatted about why volunteering is declining and what organisations can do about it.
Lines worth stealing
“I was happy to be of help. How about we sit down together and I’ll explain how I can help you even further?”
“Think of the fourth sale first.”
“We’re all capable of being generous. If we don’t exercise that capability, it atrophies.”
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Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
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