If you like to fish, you’ve likely heard one angler ask another angler: “What bait are you casting?”

In a similar vein, I’d like to give away a huge, helpful insider to our community. I’d like to offer us, an idea which I hope we can all use for our good. There IS a ‘secret sauce’ I’ve found that REALLY works. It’s a great tool for showing love to our compatriots in the industry.

A good friend of mine, Billy Salyers, is a “Forged In Fire Champion.” Our team joined him in designing a knife as a fundraiser for a non-profit we support. We got to co-participate in the creation of the knife. (See a pic of our creation moment linked, below=).

My resolve was tested when the day came to plop down the $$$ to order the first batch of our own “Green River Drop Point Hunters.” Friends, we committed to the mission, and we’ve never looked back. We love, LOVE, LOVE giving these knives as unique, durable, high-quality gifts to strengthen our mutually beneficial relationships.

After Billy and I commissioned this particular line of knives it was thrilling to see how his hand-crafted, giftable knives are now in constant demand with several of our close allies. Our passion to, ‘Give a Knife to Allies,’ is now a rallying cry for those on similar missions.

The words you’re reading now are a give-away of what I have experienced as very effective. I hope to inspire you to begin searching and thinking of amazing gift(s) with genuine meaning, usefulness and value. I’ll also submit that the personal connection to the gift, (via the giver and/or receiver), is salient. To put it another way: It is important that the gift says something about the giver and/or the receiver.

Knife bearers carry a message of toughness; strength, ‘dangerous for good,’ etc. I hope some of them will be passed down for multiple generations and represent the partnership for those we serve alongside. When my compatriots use their knives, I want them to think of the goodness which we bring to one another.

We’ve all asked “What’s a good gift for this person?

What I’m searching for are gifts that I can trust to deliver my heart for the recipient(s) TO the recipient(s). I also think that the very best gifts are rarely something we could buy in a box store. It is equally important to avoid any gifts which may come across as cheap.

To be clear, this is not about, “giving to get”. I do, however, hope to sell you on:

• Gift giving is a good and powerful thing. It is too often overlooked.
• The gift itself is markedly important.
• I exhort us to take the risk in finding ways to bless others with unique gifts.

Consider this: If you were to sell your business, one of the primary value evaluations of any existing organization is Good Will. Often beyond rolling stock, land ownership, location… Good Will is exceptionally important. THAT’s what good gift-giving builds: When we give good gifts to those who rise to the top as our best recipients – we will build deeper and wider goodwill.

“Doing well and doing good at the same time.”

<- I’ve realized this is a word over my life. Consider this huge gift: In our natural course of doing business… Two or more businesses/individuals are exchanging good values. This is a gargantuan platform to build up relationships that bless others (and us) in the process. Gift-giving is natural a way to enrich mutually beneficial relationships. How privileged we are! Let’s be thankful for it – and let our thankfulness take the form of action.

Has this ever happened to you?: When I connect with my regulars, at times I sense a deep ache. They’re busy. I’m busy. I’d LOVE swapping stories over a meal or a drink or a cigar and a good fire. I long for them to know that I value them – how deeply I appreciate them. Their engagement with me and my story is often crucial to our mutual story, my family’s story, their family’s story — all of our collective futures. What we do, (for/with/by/through), one another is a big deal. Profits are necessary, but our mutually beneficial exchanges are worth more than just money.

“Money’s a great servant – and a terrible master.”

So, here’s my encouragement:

• Choose a good gift – better yet:

Let the best gift CHOOSE YOU.

• Top Qualifier: This needs to be a gift that you will LOVE to give away.
• Local sourcing = Fantastic. Target rich texture, depth and story behind it.
  • IE: A local favorite: Hot sauce? Ice cream? Distilled item? A hand-crafted personalized sign? Local sourcing is a plus – not an absolute.
• Give gifts of genuine value… (hopefully, your recipient would never want to, but)… Items which could fetch good value if sold in open market, deliver better.
  • IE: Our hand-crafted knives will only increase in value as Billy’s knife-making fame increases.
• Keep good gifts ON YOUR SHELF. This practice is more important than I first understood. It’s been hugely helpful to have gifts ready to launch in an instant. Once gift-giving a part of your org culture, this value will make itself clear.
• Build up a variety of gifts. Different versions of gifts, different gift genres.
• Make it your own: If you choose to apply your logo to your gift(s), make it understated.
• Add a personal touch. IE: A personal note. Your gifts should have your heart’s or personality’s fingerprints all over it when it leaves your hands.
• It’s best if your gift speaks the language of your recipient’s heart.

Many things can seem minor till we make them our own. Friends, I trust that you’ll accept this humble offering of a unique angle on this idea. In this article, I’ve shared something which has genuine value — to my friends in the industry. I trust this posture of good gift-giving will do wonders for you, as it has for me.

My hope is that this article will encourage you to take steps to share with others in our industry, how much they mean to you. I hope you’ll take one step in that direction, today.

Perhaps you’ve already made giving of exceptional gifts a part of your organization’s culture… Well done. May this work simply be a positive reminder to keep up good/what works.

In many ways, what you’ve just read, above, is a textual representation of how I want my company’s footprint to be felt in our shared industry. While it may not be possible for us to help everyone, all the time… Indeed, all the time, there will be those we can serve, with excellence. We desire to emanate the value, “Do for the one what you wish you could do for all.”

May you be blessed,

-Tom Calton

Work the Field Like It’s Yours: Work as a Prime Growing Space.

A Growth Mindset is demonstrated as we see our job as a pre-ordained opportunity for personal growth. A good work-heart-posture goes far beyond what we can earn. Our work life will flourish as we choose to bring our whole hearts, focusing in on what we can learn and apply. As we metabolize the mindset that our career spaces are a precious platform for becoming, we’re trending towards become the people who will naturally add value.

Our challenge: To see the relationships around us – especially those in our work spaces – as agricultural plots of land. Following this metaphor, we can shift our perception of our customers, suppliers, co-workers, colleagues. We can begin to see them as fields entrusted to us. The degree to which we see each heart as a ‘field of potential’ — is our ‘invitation for cultivation.’ We have the power to change the output of our fields by way of our faithful cultivation. Far beyond getting something from them – let us choose a heart-posture of delivering something good TO them.

How we doing? Do our hearts see the persons, businesses, stakeholders in our lanes – as opportunities for cultivation? If we do, our ‘crops’ will yield greater and greater potential. As we pursue our essential contacts, may our hearts ask: “How can we add value to this person / position / business?”

The ‘Why’ behind this message: Cashflow or no, we aim to add value to the lives we engage. We hope you see this email as a reminder, that we become more whole and centered as we become the people who cultivate the best for the fields entrusted to us.

As we see each touch as an opportunity to cultivate others, the inspiration to find ways to add value will grow. Those who seek – are the ones who find. So, let’s search for ways to ‘catch ‘em doing something good’ – so that we may compliment, encourage and nurture.

Those who only offer input about their widget / service are bringing less than their best. We’re all much more than ‘what we do.’ So, let it be known among those we touch that we value them as rich opportunities to bless, nurture, cultivate and add-to. Our touches are opportunities for folks to walk away feeling enriched by us and less depleted by the world around us.

As we commit to this mindset, in due time, we will effectively enrich the soil around us. More good things will take root and grow. To those who do this well — even more will be added to them.