Permissionless innovation brought us Uber and Airbnb. They’re both companies that didn’t ask regulators if they could start operating. They just made their platform and anticipated complaints from incumbents.
What I’m talking about is different. Permissionless generosity is smaller, but more meaningful. Most people don’t consider themselves innovators, but we all have the power to be generous.
We spend a lot of time waiting for special events to give people compliments. We write a friend a card on their birthday, because that’s when it’s customary to do so.
People love #nationalbestfriendday on social media even though it happens every two months! Whenever that hashtag starts trending, we are granted permission to post something nice about our friends. It feels good to be kind.
It’s great to have a reason to open up, but we don’t need one. We can be generous every day without any kind of permission. You might surprise others by expressing emotions in a genuine way, but the act of doing so is powerful.
By speaking up and standing out, you’ve given others permission to do the same. The sooner you start, the sooner this world becomes a better place. One compliment, hug and thank you note at a time.
Leave a Reply