by Jo Anne Preston, Workforce & Organizational Development Senior Manager
The community I work in has yard signs posted everywhere that say “Be Kind.” That’s it. Just be kind. An out-of-town friend came to visit and said the signs made her a little cranky. “Why should we have to tell people to be kind?” she asked. I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know that one of the people we are often least kind to is ourselves.
And it matters. Compassionate acts towards others help the giver even more than the receiver. That’s not just my opinion. Research on well-being bears this out consistently. As a leader of your workplace culture, taking a few moments each day to sharpen your sights on kindness can seem a subtle shift, but it is a powerful one. Your mood affects those around you and zeroing in on kindness for a few moments each day is at the heart of leading.
The next time you feel crabby at the human race, recognize it. Pause, take a deep breath, and remember that you have choices. Exercise one of those choices to refocus on something you do have control over. That would be you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lead the Way in Five Minutes A Day: Sparking High Performance in Yourself and Your Team, by Jo Anne Preston is currently available for purchase.
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