A series on Leadership lessons from the book: The Prophet by Khalil Gibran

Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet speaks to autonomy, responsibility, love, and meaning. This series explores its timeless wisdom through a leadership lens, offering reflection for those building cultures that value both performance and humanity.

Khalil Gibran writes in The Prophet:

“You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

This sounds like a call to generosity, but it points to something else. Gibran is pointing toward intention, responsibility, and discernment.

For leaders, this distinction matters deeply. Organizations often confuse leadership with generosity: perks, praise, flexibility, reassurance.

Modern workplaces are full of visible generosity:

• Perks
• Bonuses
• Praise
• Flexibility without boundaries
• Constant reassurance

None of these are wrong. It’s when giving becomes a way to keep people comfortable and loyal that it can create dependency.

Research on psychological empowerment consistently shows that over-support without accountability reduces autonomy and initiative. When leaders give relief instead of responsibility, people disengage because they’re no longer required to care.

Gibran goes further:

“There are those who give little of the much which they have—and they give it for recognition.”

Leadership generosity that seeks approval erodes trust. Teams don’t need leaders who give everything. They need leaders who give what matters.

Giving in leadership is not about being liked, generous, or endlessly accommodating. It is about stewardship. It’s about holding responsibility for people, resources, and direction in a way that enables others to grow.

Leaders who give too much of the wrong things may feel supportive in the moment, but over time they weaken resilience and accountability.

Stewardship Is a Different Kind of Giving

Gibran’s words remind us that real giving involves self, not surplus. In leadership, this translates to giving:

• Clear expectations
• Honest feedback instead of diluted praise
• Consistent boundaries
• Trust paired with responsibility

This aligns closely with the Self-Determination Theory, which shows that people thrive when leaders support autonomy, competence, and accountability.

Stewardship requires restraint. It asks leaders to resist the urge to over-provide or rescue, and instead offer what people actually need to grow.

Gibran captures this restraint beautifully:

“You shall give of that which is dearest to you.”

In leadership, what’s dearest is often comfort, ours and theirs. Stewardship means being willing to give that up in service of growth. This type of giving can feel uncomfortable, especially for leaders who equate care with accommodation. Stewardship is responsibility for outcomes, not protection from them.

When Giving Becomes Enabling

One of the most subtle leadership traps is confusing kindness with avoidance.

Leaders with good intentions sometimes:

• Shield people from consequences
• Absorb responsibility that isn’t theirs
• Lower standards to preserve harmony
• Over-explain instead of letting people learn

These behaviors often come from care, not neglect. They communicate a lack of trust in others’ capacity to handle responsibility though. Studies on enabling behavior in leadership show that excessive protection increases burnout and disengagement over time. People feel trusted when they are held to standards.

Giving clarity instead of comfort may feel harder in the moment, but it builds confidence, competence, and independence over time.

What Leaders Owe Their People

Stewardship reminds us of our leadership obligations. Leaders owe their people:

• Direction
• Truth
• Standards
• The opportunity to grow into responsibility

Giving That Strengthens

The most effective leaders give:

• Feedback that is direct
• Support that empowers
• Recognition that reinforces contribution

They understand that giving is not about relieving discomfort. It is about strengthening capability. Before you praise, provide help or reassurance, pause and ask:

• Is this building capability or dependency?
• Am I giving clarity or avoiding discomfort?
• Does this reinforce responsibility, or replace it?

Leadership is not measured by how much you give. It is measured by what your giving produces.

In Gibran’s world, giving is an act of responsibility and love. In ours, stewardship is the form of giving that creates strong people, resilient teams, and enduring organizations.

Additional Reading:

• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
• The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth
• Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness
• The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
• Leaders Eat Last

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