Created by Bruce Kasanoff. You can contact me here.

Introduction

If you genuinely try to help other people, this site is for you.

First, some goods news: increasingly, the world favors givers. The rise of social media and 24/7 wireless services makes life far more transparent than it was even a few years ago. Word spreads faster.

If you are nasty or deceitful, others find out quickly. If you do something wonderful, the same is true.

The basic idea is pretty simple: help others, and you will benefit, too. Some call this approach enlightened self-interest. I call it basic common sense. By acting this way, you will help create the type of world in which you will enjoy working and living.

I’ve structured this website around a single sentence, one I use every day. It drives my coaching practice, my writing, and the way I lead my life:

Be generous and expert, trustworthy and clear, open-minded and adaptable, persistent and present.

Generous means to help others long before – and after – you need their help.

Expert means to be extremely competent in one or more areas that others value. It also means that whenever you take on a task, you do your best.

Trustworthy means to take ownership of your words and actions, and recognize that you live in a world in which they will increasingly be recorded, remembered, analyzed, and replayed.

Clear means to know what you want and be able to communicate it effectively.

Open-minded means no matter how knowledgeable or successful you become, you never stop listening and learning.

Adaptable means to keep your options open - so that when the world surprises you, it won’t be that surprising.

Persistent means to keep trying, even when times are tough and you are tempted to quit.

Present means that although you should learn from the past and be prepared for the future, you should pay close attention to the present moment as it unfolds - otherwise, you will miss a great deal.

This site is a collection of actionable tips, organized around these eight elements. These tips will help you be a successful giver.

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