It is the season of giving and goodwill to all.

But what if you took this approach all year around rather than just at Christmas?

Don’t begin your communication – whether a meeting, call or presentation – trying to get as much as you can from the other person.

Instead try to help.

It doesn’t matter how you help but the key is that you begin with the right mindset: to help.

It might be an introduction, free advice, sharing your knowledge or any other way that will help the other person.

You are not doing this to get something back, but because it is a good thing to do.

I am a great believer in the power of turning up as a precursor to greater things. If you want to get better at something you need to turn up, again and again.

It is what all great performers in sports, the arts, business and everywhere else do.

But what if you didn’t just turn up but instead turned up with the aim to help, to share, to give, to inspire?

What do you think would happen?

You might be taken advantage of. Of course, there are those who seek to take. They put themselves above others rather than seeking ways to inspire and to help.

But trust, cooperation and partnership between you and the other person will, in all likelihood, begin to develop. As you collaborate you will both benefit whether financially or in other ways.

What about if you are a leader or see yourself as a future leader?

This is perhaps even more true for managers and leaders whatever the industry you are in.

Those who seek to inspire through sharing and giving are proven to build brilliant organisations and high performing teams.

Even more than this though they build fantastic networks made up of people who often become givers too.

The result being that many, many people benefit over the long term.

I began this year writing as a way to share advice I give my clients to others I know, have worked for in the past or now, almost a year on, through a growing e-mail list far more widely.

In return, I have received a steady stream of ‘thank you’ messages (often letting me know exactly how my attempt to give some help or advice has benefited them).

This in turn has inspired me to do more.

So, my final recommendation for 2019 is to give in 2020.

Give help, offer advice, mentor, coach, teach, inspire.

Lead with this. Make it central to the way you go about your work.

Don’t do it to get something back but because it is the right thing to do.

Happy Christmas.