Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to FRANCINE BIRGANS. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi FRANCINE, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
Watching my mother and helping others with her through the years fostered my purpose in giving and generosity. Albert Bandura’s social learning theory is rooted in observation and modeling. I am a firm believer and a testament that we learn by seeing and doing. Or by what is being modeled (or shown) before us.
My entire life, I saw my mother joyfully give to help others smile.
Every year, our home was filled with my mother making her famous pecan pies during the holidays. My Uncle Jimmy would send her a 20lb box of fresh picked pecans from Louisiana. She would sit and we had to shell them. After we completed the entire box, she would make pies. Our fingertips would have broken skin because of the sharpness of the pecan shells and we shelled so many.
Mrs. Hill was a senior citizen. Her husband long gone. No children. She lived alone.
My mother “took her in”. Each week we went to Mrs. Hill’s house. My mother made sure her yard was cut and that she had fresh planted flowers each year. We took her grocery shopping and made sure she had non-dairy creamer to go with her coffee. Because she didn’t have much family, Mrs. Hill always spent Mother’s Day with us and most holidays. she never missed Mother’s Day. As a matter of fact, she told me how that was her favorite time of the year. She never needed a dime. My mom always paid for everything.
Our neighbor across the street, did not have much. She lived on the upstairs floor of a two story apt building. She didn’t have a car. She never had to ask for a ride to the grocery story. The first of the month, my mother always took her to the grocery store to get food. Later in the month, my mom sent us across the street to find out if she needed anything. My mom always said, if you are able to help someone do it with out asking questions.
Every “kid” holiday at church, my mom always made goodie bags and baskets for every child and the senior mothers at the church. She spent her own money and made us put them together at home.
These are just a few stories of my life where I learned the gift of giving. My mother never complained and she experienced joy when she helped others. In 1999, my mother had a stroke. All of those years of giving came right back to her. I witnessed people coming together to help my mom, because she had always helped everyone else.
That next year in 2000, I picked up where she left off.
I became the person who helped Mrs. Hill and picked her up for Mother’s Day.
I became the person who helped others get to the store and at shelters.
I became the person who enjoyed making goodie bags and baskets.
I became the person who wanted to model kindness and the gift of giving.
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Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Francine Birgans and I help make organizations better from the inside out. I specialize in the human side of business with organization development. OI help to increase and build their capacity to change and achieve greater effectiveness by developing, improving, and reinforcing strategies, structures, and processes with their human capital. I help organizations to value their people. When you value people you create more organization loyalty. This in turn helps to increate the capacity.
I’ve made it to the other side of “through”. I have a lot of experience and I am very transparent.
I enjoy sharing my trials and tribulations to help others to make it through.
To help lead others, you must know how to lead yourself.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Being self-aware 2. Humility/being humble
3. Being persistent
We must remain pliable and coachable. There is always someone smarter than you. It’s also ok to NOT know everything. Life is a journey. You can’t be everywhere at once. Where you are, is meant to be. Learn from all the lessons. If it doesn’t work, reevaluate and try again. Nothing beats failure, except try.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did was: 1. Love me. My parents showed loved to each other, their family, and their children. Both of my parents were givers and this is what I saw growing up. I saw them love each other! I saw them love their parents. I saw them love their siblings. I saw them love those around them. I saw love! I am a very loving person today because of them.
2. I saw my parents be kind! Kindness doesn’t cost you a penny. Kindness will last a lifetime. It can never be replaced. Kindness and love go hand in hand. They are both powerful weapons!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ethinlead.com
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