We shine brighter together.
The GLC for Families
This is a season of redefining perspective together as a family—we are not just surviving, we will flourish. Our perspective ultimately influences how we act. Generous Leaderships® is a framework for shaping the foundational beliefs that enable us and our children to unlock our potential to lead others well. The main outcome isn’t to “do more” but to experience personal change through intentional doing.
The Generous Leadership Challenge is a great way for us to put our best self forward and teach our children that compassion is the key to success. I can’t wait to start this challenge with my daughter and also share it with my colleagues who are now having to balance work with homeschool. Let's all be intentional with our time to stand up and make a difference!!!
--Kristen, mother and business leader
STEP 1: Why NOW?
COVID-19 has shaken us. When we are shaken, it's easier to shift the way we understand the world around us. That's good news! You can use this time at home to shift your leadership mindset. The main outcome isn't to "do more" but to experience personal change through intentional doing.
We will use the Generous Leadership® paradigm. Generous Leadership® Is abundantly giving of yourself so that others may be better people who do better work.
It requires us to see through three lenses: seeing yourself as valuable, people as people and your work as sacred.
STEP 2: What’s the CHALLENGE?
Test your leadership ideas, assumptions and skills in small weekly personal experiments you can do at your home and in your neighborhood over the next few months, and compile your reflections to creatively answer the Question Prompt…
QUESTION PROMPT:
How does seeing through the three lenses of Generous Leadership® increase your ability to lead others well?
STEP 3: Set Your COURSE
Weekly Leadership Experiments
Create three weekly leadership experiments, one from each Generous Leadership® lens. You define your goals of what you will do, how often and when. Here are just a few examples*.
See Yourself as Valuable
Treat yourself as valuable, create habits for self-care and mental well-being
- Create sleep routines
- Limit screen time or fast from it altogether
- Eat healthier
- Take on a gratitude challenge
- Exercise regularly, go outside
- Identify and use your strengths
- Incorporate mindfulness exercises and breathing
See People as People
Treat others with compassion and honor; find why they are similar to you; elevate others. Focus on family, friends, neighbors, co-workers
- Increase patience, heal conflict
- Choose to ask questions, not tell
- Get to know other’ stories, share them with others to inspire
- Do acts of kindness, big and small
- Do something for a neighbor or for your neighborhood
See Your Work as Sacred
Identify tasks you do daily (small and big), reflect how your actions impact yourself and others. Reflect, discuss together. Explore "why" and value alignment.
- Identify a situation in your life where you struggle to be yourself with others. Change your attitude, how you show up or how you do this task so that the situation reflects who you really are
- Create a compelling future for yourself (what impact do you want to leave?). Define your life’s mission. Take small steps toward your goals today.
*This is just a sample list. Keep going through the Steps. At the end you are invited to choose from the full list or create your own.
STEP 4: Make TIME
How to Break up the 8 weeks
STEP 5: Join the CONVERSATION
Stay on track by sharing what you’ve learned in weekly 1-minute reflection videos on social with #GLChallenge. Inspire others to keep going by posting regularly.
A reflection video looks like:
Sample #GLChallenge Posts
STEP 6: Inspire Generous Leadership®
After you’ve completed 5-6 weeks of leadership experiments, review your reflections to creatively answer the GLC Question Prompt. Post your final product using #GLChallenge. Be creative! Consider using: spoken word, poetry, song, visual art, blogs or articles, and/or video storytelling.
QUESTION PROMPT:
How does seeing through the three lenses of Generous Leadership® increase your ability to lead others well?
Step 7: Start HERE!
Created in Partnership with 
Big Idea Project is a Colorado-based non-profit that exists to unleash the potential of students in school. If you want your child’s school to incorporate experience-based learning that aligns with Generous Leadership®, promotes social-emotional skills and prepares your child for life and work, check out Big Idea Project.
As a parent of a Big Idea Project student, it's exciting to see how you are inspiring a generation of public-spirited leaders who are focused on giving back to others.
- Parent