Take a moment and think of someone you consider selfish.

A friend. A co-worker. A relative.

Do you want to hang out with them? Do you trust them?

Absolutely not.  No one wants to be friends with someone who’s selfish, self-involved, or manipulative.

On the contrary, everyone wants to be friends with someone who’s emotionally generous; someone who’s supportive, loving, caring, and connected.

Organizations are no different, because they’re made up of and sell to—you guessed it—people.  This explains why actions such as email spamming and chronic discounting aren’t effective long term. These shortcuts don’t work because by nature they show you don’t care about the customer’s needs more than your own. Manipulating a customer into action is no different from manipulating a friend to get your own way.

Therefore, in order to manifest the unbelievable (aka magic), in your life and your business, emotional generosity must be a major part of how you operate, communicate, and think.

An individual or organization is emotionally generous when they combine empathy—the willingness to feel, understand, and share another person’s experiences and emotions—and sacrifice, giving up something you need or desire for someone else. The result of the effective combination of these two attributes is trust: the belief that someone or something is good, honest, and reliable. And when someone trusts you, they’re willing to emotionally connect with you. That connection, that bond, is invaluable, both in personal relationships and organizational loyalty and growth.

Why is this time of year considered the “most wonderful?” It’s not the lights or the trees; it’s the remarkable connection that occurs when we collectively put the needs of others ahead of our own. When we feel that trust and connection, we allow ourselves to be taken on a journey, and that is what makes it possible to create magic.

Happy holidays to you, your loved ones, and anyone in need of a little extra of magic in their lives.