Benevolence OverviewFor the Right ReasonYou can show benevolence by donating money to a local childrens club, a disaster relief fund, or a city rescue mission, but benevolence also manifests itself through courtesy to other motorists, faithfulness to family members, and civility to difficult coworkers.Benevolence expands a persons perspective beyond self. A benevolent person looks for opportunities to benefit others and rejects selfish motives.

Consider OthersThis shift requires a benevolent person to consider each relationship and recognize how benevolence will apply differently in different relationships.Developing strong family relationships requires dedicated reinforcement that other relationships might not require. You have different responsibilities to coworkers in your department than you do to those in other offices.

Practice Every DayBenevolence expresses itself through daily giving to family members, coworkers, neighbors, and friends. This process requires knowing and understanding each person as you know and understand yourself.When you encounter an upset customer, listen carefully, discern the real need, and take appropriate action. When family members need a listening ear, keep your mouth shut, and hear what they have to say.

Maintain SincerityAttitudes and motives distinguish true benevolence from selfish acts of kindness. Approach relationships with the desire to meet others needs rather than to secure something for yourself.Selfish attitudes can easily creep into your thinking. When evaluating a situation, consider how it affects others, and how they will perceive actions directed toward them. Focus your gratefulness on others and their contributions rather than your feelings. Avoid drawing attention to benevolent actions or using selfdepreciating humor to gain recognition.As you serve and understand others, you will begin to see more of the world as it is, and you will become someone who can make a positive difference.

Five Keys to Building Benevolence1. Choose to CareBenevolence is a choice to pursue the good of others, and it speaks loudest through your daily habits. Benefiting others comes easily when their behavior conforms to your expectations. However, when others hurt you, when circumstances disappoint you, or when others do not seem worth the effort, benevolence recognizes value beyond its own comfort and seeks to benefit others despite their imperfections.2. Make Others SuccessfulWhatever the relationship, a benevolent person looks for ways to help others succeed. This habit can include taking time to assist a coworker or seriously discussing personal issues with a close friend. Look for specific ways you can benefit others.3. Discern True NeedsOften others harsh words or actions reveal unaddressed concerns. Other times a person might not know exactly what help to seek. Stay focused on the other person. Congratulating yourself on giving sound advice can hinder your ability to discern anothers true need and diminish your credibility. Understand others, and you will understand their needs.4. Take Personal InterestIndividuals want to know they are uniquely valuable beyond their job performance. Invest in those around you by learning about their families, hobbies, and goals. When you notice a need, show appropriate concern, and help where you can. Let others know you care about them.5. Give FreelySelfishness often springs up in unexpected places. A person might help someone because of the gratification it gives. However, benevolence does not remember past sacrifices or look for any personal reward. Care for others despite the risk. A benevolent person recognizes the cost involved and chooses to benefit others anyway.

Benevolence Application Discussion QuestionsBreak into small groups. Have each group read one of the five keys above and discuss the corresponding question below. Share answers and personal applications with everyone.1. How do you choose to benefit each person you meet?2. What can you do to help others succeed on the job and in life?3. How do you figure out what others really need?4. How do you take time to know those around you?5. How do you give to others without keeping track of what they owe you?

Word EtymologyThe English wordbenevolencefirst appeared around 1400. It originates from the Latinbenevolens. The Latinvolensmeans "willing." We get the wordsvolunteerandvolitionfrom the same Latin root.The Latinbenemeans "well."Thus, a benevolent person looks after others' well-being.bennevolencen1: desire to do good to others 2: good will; charity 3:: an act of kindness

Benevolence In BalanceAct ResponsiblyResponsibility is knowing and doing what is expected of me. Those who neglect their own basic needs often have a reduced sensitivity to others needs. A responsible person prepares for future commitments by getting proper nourishment and rest. Further, a responsible person honors commitments to family and close friends so that he or she has a community from which to respond to other needs. Take care of yourself and those close to you so that you can take care of others.

Use DiscretionDiscretion is recognizing and avoiding words, actions, and attitudes that could bring undesirable consequences. Gifts carry great potential benefit or harm, depending on how they are given and received. When dealing with others needs, determine what is best. Do not settle for what appears easiest or most obvious.

Build EnthusiasmEnthusiasm is expressing joy in each task as I give it my best effort. The process of meeting a need often involves unpleasant tasks, and your effectiveness and credibility will depend on your ability to remain proactive and inspire constructive attitudes.

Leadership TipsManagers and supervisors must know the needs of their employees and address them appropriately. A benevolent leader understands and appreciates each employee. Ensure your coworkers have what they need to do their jobs effectively, whether it means updating software or getting new equipment. Take responsibility for malfunctions and work with the team to prevent future problems. Empathize with coworkers when they experience a death or a serious illness in their families and adjust schedules as necessary. Look for opportunities to share credit with others. Define your expectations and guidelines clearly so that everyone can understand and apply the standard. Enforce policies without taking personal offense.Meeting Needs with CharacterBenevolence provides meaning and direction for other character traits. A leader who desires to meet others' basic needs will naturally demonstrate Patienceaccepting delays and disappointments without resentment, Contentmentaccepting circumstances instead of comparing myself to others, Humilityrecognizing others' contributions, Gratefulnessexpressing appreciation for others' contributions, Discretionchoosing words and actions in order to benefit others, Generositymanaging resources in order to personally contribute, Meeknesscontrolling emotions in order to respond constructively, Honorrecognizing the value of each person and seeking to understand each perspective, Compassionworking to benefit the disadvantaged, Truthfulnesssearching out what is factually and morally right, Justiceexemplifying and advocating integrity, and Endurancetaking the next constructive step.Benevolence is telling the truth when it is easier to lie, considering coworkers when you know they are having a hard time, and listening to an irate customer in order to determine exactly what he or she needs.Benevolence only exists as it is demonstrated in a person's attitudes and actions. Communicate your commitment to others by looking for needs and fulfilling your responsibilities.Employee TipsTake an InterestMonitors give feedback so that health care workers can recognize and address situations quickly and directly. Know what is happening in others lives, and show sincere concern. Be considerate of coworkers when death or serious illness enters their families. Clarify directions and ask questions before passing judgment on a coworkers performance. Call coworkers when they are ill, and ask if they need anything. Send a card or flowers as an expression of congratulation or condolence. Listen to a coworker who is excited about an opportunity or discouraged by hardship. Take food to a family experiencing sickness or loss. Remember and express interest in significant events in coworkers lives. Consider taking an office collection or organizing a shower for someone who is getting married or having a child.

Praising BenevolenceBenevolence commits itself to the best for others, particularly when someone's natural interests contradict it.

In 1855, Abraham Lincoln expected to win election to the United States Senate from Illinois. He had two opponents: Lyman Trumbull, who also opposed slavery, and incumbent Democrat James Shields, who had voted to remove geographic restrictions on slavery.During the election process, the Democrats in the state legislature abandoned the incumbent, Shields, in favor of Illinois Governor Joel A. Matteson. After several polls, Matteson's support had grown so that he needed only four additional votes, and Lincoln withdrew his name and threw his support to Trumbull."We cannot afford to risk another ballot; four more votes for Matteson, and our cause is lost," Lincoln said. "My name is withdrawn."The campaign against slavery won the election because Lincoln chose to put a basic moral principle ahead of his own career.Today, as you look back on Lincoln's accomplishments, remember the commitment to moral principle and the personal sacrifice along the way.Further, when coworkers make similar choices, recognize their unselfishness. Whether a person volunteers in the community or works behind the scenes to help a coworker succeed, express your gratefulness to the person and to those around him or her.

Benevolence On The JobLet There Be LightSunlight shines on everyone and affects everything it touches. It helps humans and animals manufacture vitamin D, and it provides the energy for photosynthesis in plants. Similarly, true benevolence will affect every interaction, and its application will vary with each relationship.Commit Take time to care about coworkers and look for ways to build good relationships. Identify and reinforce the good qualities in others. Do what you can do to get along. Apologize when wrong. Keep commitments even when you do not feel like it.Help If you cannot help with a particular problem, put the person in touch with someone who can. Ask questions that help customers define their needs so that you can help find answers. Work toward organizational goals when you help a coworker or train someone. Do not worry about who will receive the credit.See Look for the needs and motivations behind coworkers emotions. Be attentive to circumstances in others lives. Be sensitive to the right timing when you approach others about how you can help them. Invest Determine how you can best benefit a person, even if you can help in only one area. Recognize how best to approach a need. It is often better to help a person take responsibility than to give a monetary gift.Share When you give to someone, do not expect anything in return. Do activities others enjoy. Examine your motives for raising an issue with a coworker, friend, or family member. Avoid measuring relationships and situations solely for what they mean to you. Reject recognition as a motivation for helping others. Do not allow your feelings to prevent you from benefiting others.

Benevolence in RelationshipsHang TogetherHome provides the most opportunities to show benevolence, and these relationships require the greatest commitment.Recognize ResponsibilityEach person has slightly different needs, and each relationship carries different responsibilities. As your parents and grandparents age, discern what they need and how to respectfully assist them. Even when an elderly persons needs require professional assistance, maintain regular contact so that you can address new needs as they develop.On occasion, others will have needs that you do not have jurisdiction to address. If a neighbor experiences marriage problems, for example, your most helpful contribution might be to recommend a good counselor.Maintain CommitmentsFamily members need to know you will keep your commitments. Keep your small promises, whether to play catch or mow the lawn. The sacrifices you make in these seemingly insignificant areas demonstrate to your family members that you will do everything you can to put them first.Even when unexpected developments force you to rearrange schedules, honor your commitment by keeping family time in your schedule. Recognize the needs of family members and do what you can to build better relationships.Practical Applications of Benevolence Help family members develop their strengths. Do not treat family members in a way you would be ashamed to treat others. Address family members needs in ways they understand. Be sensitive in the way you bring problems to others attention. Consistently measure your actions by what is best rather than by your preferences.

My WayFind a set of horseshoe magnets. Demonstrate to your children how the opposite poles attract each other. Then reverse the magnets and have your children observe how like poles repel each other.Discuss how seeing a situation selfishly can repel others and how considering others perspectives can help a person work with others effectively.Help children think how they can show respect and appreciation to parents by obeying willingly. Children can show benevolence by sharing with friends and not demanding their own way. Explain how unselfishness will help your children see and experience the world around them.

VolunteerBenevolence considers others and seeks to benefit them in the best possible way. Plan community-oriented activities by which your family can demonstrate true benevolence to others. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or nursing home. Help elderly neighbors with their yard work. Volunteer to clean up litter along a stretch of road. Contact your local house of worship, and offer to drive for widowed or elderly members. Organize a garage sale, and give the proceeds to a local charity. Offer to watch children for families experiencing medical emergencies.

nto the LightAnne SullivanYoung Helen Keller regarded her baby sister as an intruder. Once she even overturned a doll cradle in which her baby sister slept. Thus it is that when we walk in the valley of twofold solitude we know little of the tender affections that grow out of endearing words and actions and companionship, Helen said inThe Story of My Life.The isolation brought on by Helens blindness and deafness began ending when Anne Sullivan stepped off the train into Helens life on March 3, 1887.Accept the Investments of OthersOn April 14, 1866, Anne Sullivan was born to a gentle but ailing mother and an alcoholic father. She contracted trachoma around age 5, and the effects left her nearly blind. After her mothers death, Anne and her younger brother, Jimmie, entered the poorhouse of Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Jimmie died, but Anne survived and later appealed to regulators for an education.Anne entered Perkins Institute for the Blind on October 7, 1880. Because she had known little but abuse, Anne initially rebelled against the discipline at Perkins, but a few teachers earned Annes respect and challenged her to succeed. Miss Moore exerted a salutary influence over me, Anne later recalled. I respected her mind, and I fancied she did not think I was quite such a dyed-in-the-wool black sheep as the others did. Little by little she disciplined my unorderly mind.During the six years she attended Perkins, Anne received two surgeries that improved her vision enough so that she could read, and she graduated as valedictorian in 1886.Accept Risk to Help OthersAfter graduation, Anne went to Cape Cod with her dorm mother, the kind Mrs. Sophia Hopkins. That summer, Anne received a letter from the director of Perkins telling her Captain Arthur Keller wanted a tutor for his daughter, Helen, and Anne eventually agreed to move to Tuscumbria, Alabama, and become Helens teacher.Helens mother had helped Helen understand a great deal, but Anne brought Helen the words and the discipline to appreciate the individuals and objects she encountered. Helen later recalled the initial struggles this process involved. When Anne insisted Helen learn to use silverware instead of her fingers, Helen kicked and screamed until Annes dedication finally outlasted Helens obstinacy.Anne tried to help Helen associate words with objects and actions by spelling into her hand. Helen imitated these signs, but she did not understand them. In particular, she did not distinguish between the concept of drinking and the word mug.One morning Anne took Helen to the pump house and had Helen hold a mug under the spout. As Anne pumped, the mug overflowed, and water ran over Helens hand. Anne spelled w-a-t-e-r into Helens free hand. The word coming so close upon the sensation of cold water rushing over her hand seemed to startle her, Anne wrote to Mrs. Hopkins. She dropped the mug and stood as one transfixed. All the way back to the house she was highly excited, and learned the name of every object she touched, so that in a few hours she had added thirty new words to her vocabulary.Helen would later write, the more I handled things and learned their names and uses, the more joyous and confident grew my sense of kinship with the rest of the world.Thus, Anne overcame the Tewksbury poorhouse and pulled back the veils of darkness and silence so that Helen Keller could in turn touch and inspire millions around the world.

Points to Ponder:Anne Sullivan persevered, even when Helen Keller did not appreciate Annes efforts. Do not allow painful experiences to take away your ability to care about others. Understand others as they actually are instead of assuming they are as they appear to you. Accept the benefits others bring into your life rather than selfishly paying them back or apologizing for inconvenience. Recognize what will most benefit another person and do what you can to help them. Help others see beyond themselves so that they can know and benefit others.

Lessons From the Emperor PenguinStanding 3 to 4 feet tall and weighing 80 to 90 pounds, the emperor penguin is the largest and only penguin species that lays eggs and raises its young during the harsh Antarctic winter.

Plan AheadEach March and April as Antarctic winter closes in, emperor penguins head inland to their nesting areas. Waddling upright or pushing themselves along on their bellies, they travel up to 100 miles across the ice in order to make sure their nesting area will remain frozen until the young are ready for open water.Once they reach the nesting grounds, the penguins find mates, and the female lays an egg in May or early June. The male thenincubates the egg by cradling it on top of his feet under the folds of fat around his belly. Except for an occasional shuffle to a warmer position, male penguins will remain grouped together in this position until the eggs hatch, roughly 64 days later.

Work TogetherIn the mean time, female penguins trek to the ocean to feed and gather food for the hatchlings. About the time the chicks hatch, the females return to the nesting grounds. If the females do not return before the chicks hatch, males can feed the hatchlings a substance secreted by their digestive tracts for up to 10 days.By this time, the males have lost up to 50 percent of their body weight, and as soon as the females arrive, the males set out for the ocean to replenish their reserves and gather food for the growing chicks.

Put Others FirstPenguins can carry food in their stomachs without digesting it, and this ability allows penguins to bring food to their growing young.The parents take turns going on foraging trips as the Antarctic summer approaches and the ice recedes. Eventually, young emperor penguins form large groups and molt their downy feathers as they march north to the open water foraging areas.

Prepare for Future UsefulnessBy January, emperor penguins have formed foraging groups and will spend most of their time in the ocean foraging for crustaceans and fish. A group can travel as many as 600 miles in one foraging trip, and individuals have reached depths of 1,500 feet and stayed underwater for 20 minutes.Young penguins will not visit the nesting areas until they reach 4 years of age and will not breed until age 5 or 6. The average life span of an emperor penguin is 20 years.The Emperor Penguin in ActionCommitmentBoth parents feed and protect the offspring. As the father incubates the egg, the mother gathers food, and mother and father then alternately secure food for the chick.CommunityThe penguins ability to form and maintain a peaceful group helps male penguins share and conserve warmth as they incubate their eggs during the Antarctics harsh winters.ConsistencyPenguins persevere through each season, storing sufficient energy during the summer to successfully reproduce, return to the ocean, and repeat the process the following year.ClarityPenguins rely on a complex set of vocalizations to identify mates, parents, and offspring. They also have vocalizations to maintain contact in the group and conduct courtship.

Here and ThereHundreds of thousands found themselves struggling to survive when a tsunami swept the shores of the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. Official reports estimated 49,936 missing, 1.7 million homeless, and 232,000 dead, including many western tourists.Relief efforts began almost immediately. Foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, and private donors pledged approximately $13.6 billion.When a 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook Pakistan on October 8, 2005, the international response was comparatively muted. Nearly 80,000 died in the province of Kashmir, 3 million lost their homes, and 76,000 were injured.Basic needs for shelter and medical attention remained largely unmet as rain, landslides, and frigid temperatures complicated relief efforts.

Check Your AwarenessThe United Nations reported that eighty percent of the $977 million requested for tsunami relief came in three weeks after the disaster, but only twenty percent of the $550 million requested for earthquake relief had come in after three weeks.Analysts attributed the different response to the timing in the fiscal year and the presence of western tourists along the shores of the Indian Ocean. Yet, the comparative need was significantly greater in Pakistan. Many relief workers feared those made homeless by the earthquake would not live through the harsh winter.Similar discrepancies can take place in your personal life. If you do not consciously practice benevolence, you will find it easy to overlook others needs because they seem too far away, too different from your needs, too inconveniently timed, or even too nearby to have significance.

Get InvolvedThese reasons for disengagement reveal the laziness humans often display toward one another. Giving money to a disaster relief organization is often easier than walking across the street to console a neighbor after a death in the family or going to a different part of town to help rebuild homes destroyed by fire. Dismissing a coworkers concerns as none of my business can become an easy excuse for neglect.As you recognize needs, determine your responsibility instead of devising reasons to avoid involvement. Benevolence balances responses in order to specifically address genuine needs. Attending a funeral may be uncomfortable, but it communicates that you truly care about those involved.

CaringA manufacturing company president once selected three recently-hired young people for their steady, uncomplaining work ethic.The executive chose these three to manage his father's service stations, telling them they would be in line for division management if they could show a profit over the next three quarters.Owen analyzed the convenience store sales records and layout in order to more directly target customer buying habits. He also streamlined the business plan.Eric worked with Owen and Andrew to give the top mechanics a raise, set up a new appointment system, opened a new quick-lube service, and reorganized the shop into a model of cleanliness and efficiency.Andrew took responsibility for human resources and community relations decisions. He often surprised his fellow managers by making time to help an employee with a home improvement project, step behind the counter and wait on customers, and clean up after a young boy dropped a jug of milk.Thanks to the efforts of these three, the service stations each turned a profit for three straight quarters. Owen, Eric, and Andrew were promoted in the manufacturing company. The president particularly commended Andrew for his kind words as he unknowingly helped the president's second cousin clean up the spilled milk. Because of his care for others' needs, the president and board of directors made Andrew vice president.Relationships comprise the backbone of life, and your ability to build positive relationships depends on your ability to care about others, not just about how they affect you.By Loren Paulsson

Picture ThisGiving by DesignLegumes, such as clover, alfalfa, peas, and soybeans, grow nodes on their roots, and these nodes house bacteria that convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into fertilizer for the soil. This benefits the legume and other plants growing nearby.Similarly, as individuals fulfill their unique roles, they contribute to the whole community. The focus is not on self-neglect but on benefiting others because a desire for their good has become part of who you are.