Do leaders need to be kinder in their word?
Summary: Being a kind leader will keep your employees happy, and happy employees are more productive. A leader choosing to be kind means that they acknowledge and recognise the efforts of their employees, give them the support they need and treat them like basic human beings, with dignity and respect.
Some people believe that being a leader is all about upholding your status, being powerful, and getting people to follow your orders. Kindness may be perceived by some as a flaw, a softening of firm judgement, or simply the most recent trend in a long line of leadership gimmicks. The new era of leadership, however, is about becoming a leader people want to follow and exhibiting compassion, sincerity, collaboration, and trust. Read on to be kind and become of your own kind.
There are many research papers proven that kinder people are happier. Although It is not clear which acts of kindness are making people happier, it is known that when people are kinder to others, they feel happier. Another random piece of information says that happier people are more productive. Its not difficult to connect the dots in a picture and understand that when kindness prevails in the workplace, so will employees’ productivity.
Our people are the foundation to the success of our business. Helping my team navigate their way through the complexities of the construction industry, being a mentor in their career development, and supporting them during the ups and downs of life, is key to having happy, healthy and productive teams.
Brian Shuptrine was awarded as one of the 25 leaders as the “Leading Light”, who demonstrates exceptional behaviour of kindness and leading by being an example. The leading Lights Southeast Asia campaign aims to celebrate those leaders who inspire and make sure to be kind to their team.
So what are the three ways you can be kinder?
Acknowledge and Recognise
As team members try to accomplish the month-end goals and tasks, try to take some time to appreciate their work, regardless of the quality they have delivered. Let them know their input and work are appreciated. You have to show them kindly; even if any subordinates screw anywhere, they have someone they can share this issue to. You have to recognise their efforts, be they very small, and acknowledge the work they have put in. Remember your reinforcements, be it your words or actions, and always bring up a positive change in your subordinate’s mood and self-esteem.
Support and give honest feedback, kindly.
Your presence in your employee’s work life will be remembered throughout their life. They will always recall their working experience under you as: “I had a really kind boss, who was always supportive.” Your response to their work and efforts carries a crucial role in their performance and mood. They deserve to be told where they went wrong and where they did extremely good. They need to know that their work has been recognised for its worth and that they have more space to improve. Your delivery of feedback should be kind but honest.
Treat them like you want to be treated
The best way to understand how your team wants to be treated is to keep yourself in their shoes. From that perspective, understand their needs and when to let their faults go. Know that you need to be assertive on your expectations from them but also be kind while asserting or reminding them about the expectations. You don’t have to go out of your way to be sweet and come off as a saint. You can hold them accountable for their work, but you need to be kind while doing it.
Impact on Leadership
Research evidence indicates that higher job satisfaction leads to higher work performance. Leaders focusing on keeping their team and looking after their needs could be the number one issue that should be looked after. Leaders when they are kind to others they are also kind to themselves and take a humanistic approach to their work life as well. Hence it is the captain’s responsibility to be kind and handle responsibilities.
Do you want your team to despise you and look at you as a cold authoritarian figure? Do you wish to be a warm and kind leader?
3 Immediately Applicable Action Steps
- Practice empathy. Try to empathise with your team members. Actively imagine yourself in their shoes and see the world.
- Say this more often. “I hear you”, “I’m here for you.”I know you’re doing the best you can.”
- Choose one day for each person to be kind. It’s random for them; for you, it’s not.
References
- Amato, M. A. (2019, January 3). Kindness Counts in Leadership. Harvard Business Publishing. https://www.harvardbusiness.org/
kindness-counts-in-leadership/ - Haskins, G., Thomas, M., & Johri, L. (2018). Kindness in Leadership (1st ed.). Routledge.https://warwick.ac.uk/
newsandevents/pressreleases/
new_study_shows/ - Nordstrom, D. S. A. T. (2018, October 24). How Purposeful Kindness Can Make You A Better Leader. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/
davidsturt/2018/10/24/how-purposeful-kindness-can-makeyou-a-better-leader/?sh=e6eb21e7b7aa
Authored by Coach Vikram
Vikram is an Executive Presence Coach who supports CXOs and senior leaders to make an impact, influence, and lead with ease. He advises C-level leaders and teams to strengthen business performance through their executive presence and star leadership.
Vikram works closely with Boards and senior leaders to align leadership needs with strategy. His forte is his ability to develop trusted partnerships with senior leaders at some of the most recognized companies in the world. Vikram coaches senior leaders to draw upon their best selves, while growing their business and their leadership capabilities.
Vikram and his team have developed a groundbreaking model of executive presence and an Executive Presence Index (EPI) Assessment, the first frequency based, scientifically validated tool to measure executive presence.
Connect with him if you want practical and immediately applicable strategies to accelerate results, develop your people, and influence others to make a positive difference in your organization.
