Why “Giving Back” Isn’t As Generous As You Think, and How To Do Better

An interview with Keith Jennings, community impact leader

As we start the New Year, some of us may be reflecting on how we can do more to help others, whether through donations or by volunteering. After studying the psychological and physiological impacts of generosity, Keith Jennings, the latest interviewee for my Discomfort Zone newsletter, has developed a personal insight into why “giving back” might not be as effective as people and corporations sometimes believe.

Corporations with CSR initiatives proudly announce that they’re “giving back” to the community, but what does that really mean?

KJ “Let’s start with what the phrase “giving back” signals. To give back assumes we must first acquire, earn, or win something before we offer something to others. A sibling to giving back is “paying it forward.” In both cases, the getting comes before the giving.

This thinking leads to a second problem. If we think we must wait until we’re able or successful to give back, then the act of giving becomes something we’ll do one day (which often becomes never).

Many of the most giving people I’ve ever encountered in my life had far less than I have. Yet they were far more generous than me. That’s what helped me realize that generosity is a much bigger, more inclusive idea than giving back. Generosity is something you and I can do right now, today. No excuses.”

Can you provide a framework for understanding the difference between generosity and giving back?

KJ “When I teach this concept, I like to use whiskey and bourbon as a metaphor. All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. There are other types of whiskey beyond bourbon: Irish, Canadian, Japanese, Scotch, etc.

Giving back is like bourbon. It’s one type of generosity, and it’s typically only available to a limited number of organizations and people. Generosity is like whiskey. It encompasses a multitude of ways to love and serve others. It includes acts of kindness, the giving of time and money, advocacy, and self-sacrifice. It’s available to everyone always.

I want to encourage and equip business leaders to make generosity a strategic priority in their organizations. The data is clear that responsible, consistently practiced generosity positively impacts our personal wellbeing, organizational culture, and business stakeholders. The key is understanding what “responsible” and “consistently practiced” really mean.

Responsible generosity puts others first. Unfortunately, well-meaning generosity efforts can cause harm to those being served because the real needs of others aren’t understood and respected by the givers. Being responsible also means coming to an understanding that there is no “us” and “them.” It’s just us — humans living together in community.”

How can readers structure their lives to be more generous?

KJ “Scientific studies reveal that one-time and random acts of generosity have little positive impact on either the giver or receiver. True impact comes from making generosity a regular practice. That’s what we mean by “consistent.”

For anyone reading this, I want to encourage you to pick one day and one way you will practice generosity. By one day, I mean pick any day Monday through Sunday. Then pick an ongoing rhythm such as the first Friday of every month, or the third Thursday of every quarter. The day and cycle should be whatever works with your lifestyle and schedule.

After you’ve defined your day, choose a way you will be generous. Will you perform three acts of kindness? Will you donate a specific amount of money or time to a local nonprofit? Will you visit and help an elderly neighbor? Will you spend time with and safely mentor a young person?

The science is clear that once you begin making generosity a regular, intentional practice, you will experience a boost in happiness, health, and sense of purpose. And once you experience this at a personal level, you can begin to put this into practice at an organizational level.”

“Imagine the result if just a few of us committed to doing this, starting today.” — Keith Jennings

Keith Jennings serves as vice president of community impact at Jackson Healthcare, a family of staffing, search, and technology companies. In this role, he is responsible for the organization’s multi-faceted charitable outreach — from deepening external partnerships to maximizing associate engagement in community service. Keith is the producer and host of the podcast Generosity at Work, which teaches business leaders the science and practice of generosity in and through the workplace.

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