Gene Thompson, CEO of a Queensland, Australia business talks about the Joy of Giving
Interviewed by Marie Brunger.
I feel both blessed and inspired each time I come across business men who admit that their heart does play a major role in making major decisions both in their personal and business life. Gene Thompson is one of these men. He is a successful man and the managing director of a dynamic, privately owned manufacturing company. His business which currently employs around 145 people extends services nationally and internationally. The respect he has for his team and the equal respect he has gained particularly from his long term employees and clients, together with consistent results and growth over many decades, are a true reflection of what this man is all about. His commitment to personal and spiritual growth has not only enriched his life but the ripples of his commitment are infecting and affecting those here and abroad in the most positive way.
My curiosity was really aroused and so I asked him what are the keys to his success in this modern day world, and his answer was "Core Values", some of which he shared and defined below. For Gene the first value is Self Responsibility. It's about accepting responsibility for all the events and situations in life rather than blaming others. In doing so we take back the power and therefore we have the opportunity to put right the so called wrongs.
Rather than taking people on board and trying to change them into something or someone we want them to be, we need to be in allowance. Allowance is about allowing others to be who they are and supporting them in their strengths so that they can overcome their so called weaknesses and become their potential. The benefits of this are often that they rise above the rest and provide the very best not only for themselves but for others.
Total Honesty.... speaks for itself. When we are honest with ourselves we can be honest with others and together we can work from a place of Integrity. Gene feels that we are on the edge of a business revolution where integrity will be the difference between businesses rising and businesses falling.
Self Love: Where does love fit into his life and business? According to Gene, Self love is nothing more (or less) than being okay with the heart of who you are, or 'Standing Alone' which means being at one with Source, or reaching the point of not being influenced by anything or anyone else outside of oneself. In other words not worrying about the opinions of others and being able to stand firm with what feels right for you.
This 'feeling stuff leads us to the next important factor'.
Tithing: Gene believes that "What you give, you get. Or, if you want it, you give it." For him the 'gift of money is the gift of love'. This is so close to his heart that following the second bombing in Bali he stepped up and gave a substantial amount of money that enabled the building and establishment of an educational facility for financially challenged children.
When asked what impelled him to donate so much money his answer was that "It felt right". He expects nothing in return. His gift is totally unconditional. Since its completion in February 2007, Campuhan College in Ubud, Bali has provided part and full time training, retraining and education for over two thousand Balinese students; proving that through every adversity there really is a seed of opportunity - if we choose to look for it. These young people are proof that we can choose to be a victim or, we can choose again and become a victor -Great examples of 'If it's to be, it's up to me'.
And let's not underestimate the possible ripple that takes place when helping just one person or one project. Often the ripple of such good deeds or seeds are spread further than our mind can imagine, often becoming a wave or even a tsunami of love and support that influences millions.
Through the gift of Gene's original donations, Campuhan College has gone on to become the Karuna Bali Foundation, a non-profit Indonesian organisation on the brink of making significant changes in the lives of potentially tens of thousands of young people.
2017 - ten years on, from providing sponsorship education to so many young people, Karuna Bali Foundation has three primary functions: Teacher Training which offers the principals of "Living Values Education" Program to Indonesian school teachers to assist in opening the minds and realising the potential of their young individuals. This is an ongoing program to help under educated teachers improve their skills, knowledge and resources to enable them to embrace Living Values and give their students the best possible opportunity to learn and grow. One trained teacher can benefit students for decades.
Gene says, "Can you imagine how it must feel to know that you have been responsible for starting the momentum of a venture that will eventually reach into 17,000 islands and hundreds of schools and communities?
I challenge you to take a good look at the great work that is being done, then do yourself a favour and take action. As this great success story demonstrates, every small deed has the potential to become the sweet fruits that were once the seed of a dream."
Seeds of Kindness...
Inside each of us are seeds, seeds of ideas, aspirations, and desires, many are to be found in kindness to others and a passion to make a difference. Seeds, like ideas and dreams need nurturing, and in the early stages, a lot of care and attention.
Often all it takes is a small initiative, a little support. Usually a small watering of funding will bring on the seeds. Donations of small amounts of money placed in the right hands at the right moment can create blossoms of beauty, change lives and end despair. As ALIVE we encourage donors with a passion to help create changes in the world, to open to creating possibilities for others less fortunate to connect directly with these Living Values volunteers working in a diverse field of opportunity and need, either by choice of country or by choice of project.
These fields of opportunity exist in every aspect of humanity - with the homeless, street children, refugees, prison inmates, at risk youth, unseen village schools in so many countries, small amounts of funding for the inexpensive Rainbow Values Activity booklets make it easy for wider distribution of Values materials than ever before, "Spreading 'Seeds of Kindness' is a simple way to make a difference."
We are pleased to provide our membership and their contact details so you can communicate direct or, if you need help in choosing where and what to nurture please contact our director responsible for Partnership: Click here to email