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A few months ago, I attended an event where Adam Grant delivered a talk on his most recent book, Hidden Potential. (Click Here) 

He unpacked the idea of givers and takers in a workplace culture and how to determine where one sits during a recruitment process. Grant’s provocation was that to build a culture of givers in your business, you need to watch for people behaving in a helpful manner; from there, a generous explosion will take place.  

I liken this to creating an extraordinary service culture. 

You see, there’s a difference between offering a service and being willing to serve. Both are giving – but only one of them is truly generous. 

Offering a service is something anyone can do. It’s transactional, expected and nothing special. 

Being willing to serve is what a generous person will do. They’re generous with their time, generous with their attention, generous with their words and generous with their human spirit. 

To build a culture of willingness, perhaps it’s wise to start by asking people when you’re employing them, ‘What does a willingness to serve look like in action for you?’  

This question will not only give you insight to just how willing they truly are, but it will also open up a conversation that is significant for most humans; that we are all on a path of service and that we are all here to give.