"Kind Leadership is a practice that takes practice!" is something that I often say!
To help you practice, we've added a new feature to KindLeadership.org: A daily Kind Leader Habit-Forming Practice Tip! To get your easy and practical way to lead with kindness each day, simply go check our Homepage each day...follow The New School for Kind Leaders on LinkedIn or Facebook, or join The Kind Leader Practice Community!
To get you started, in case you missed them, here are the first four Kind Leader Habit-Forming Practice Tips:
Monday, August 14, 2023:
Yesterday my son called me! He was so excited!! Why?! Because just before he left work to head home, his boss gave him a super nice compliment about his work! I was already going to post this as today’s Kind Leader Habit-Forming Practice, and talking to my son reinforced how important it really is. So here goes:
As a leader, it’s so easy to become hyper-focused on results, and getting things done, that you forget that the people who serve your customers and make your organization’s products and services are working hard every day to do that! And, you might not see them - and their effort - while they’re doing it. But they working hard every day, giving you and your organization the precious time of their lives. Time they will never get back.
Kind Leaders practice saying thank you to their people each day! If you need to, schedule time on your calendar to remind you, and write down specific things to thank people for. And please remember to thank people for their effort and time…not just end results!
Making time to thank people is a habit-forming practice that Kind Leaders practice every day! (And…by the way, if you can’t think of something to thank someone for, please remember, that is your problem…not theirs!)
Friday, August 11, 2023:
How cognizant are you of how your tone of voice is perceived by others?
Especially when you are wearing your Leader Hat, it’s something super important to be aware of because kind words said in an unkind tone of voice won’t be “heard” kindly.
Today, pay attention to the tone of voice you are using, it’s pitch (high or low) and volume (loudness) as well as the words you are saying. You can also record yourself speaking and play it back, and ask others for feedback.
Then you can practice adjusting your pitch and tone. Please remember, people pay much more attention to your tone of voice and body language than you think. And when they hear words and tone that don’t match, they will focus on tone and find your words disingenuous.
Speaking Kindly is a habit-forming practice that Kind Leaders practice every day!
Thursday, August 10, 2023:
It’s Thursday! Week’s almost done…and you might be feeling a little tired! When you are tired (or hungry, or stresses) it’s easier to act - and react - unkindly!
Here’s today’s Kind Leader Habit-Forming Practice:
When someone makes a mistake, it’s easy to react in an angry, unkind way…especially if it’s already been a “long week” and you feel like their mistake might “reflect badly on you”.
When you’re wearing your Leader Hat and that happens, instead of shouting at or berating the person, ask them to tell you more about the situation…and then listen to them. With open eyes, open ears, open mind and an open heart. Don’t interrupt with your perspective. Focus on them. That will help you calm down, and engage your empathy and compassion. Then you can work together to decide what to do!
When you are wearing your Leader Hat, at work, at home and in the community, re-acting with kindness is just as important as acting with kindness!
Give it a try and let us know what happens!
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Kind Leadership is about daily practice to create the habits that will allow you to eliminate fear, create trust and a better culture in your organization.
Unlike many other cultural transformation programs or projects, the results of acting, reacting, speaking and thinking kindly are immediate! As soon as you start practicing, you’ll start changing your organization and help people be happier, healthier, more connected and productive.
As you practice, you’ll develop strength and positive, energizing habits!
Here is today’s Kind Leader Habit-Forming Practice:
Before you jump in and grill people on what they are doing (or why they didn’t get what you needed them to done…) make it a habit to ask how people are doing! How are they feeling? Then listen! You’ll make a connection with them as a person, and over time they’ll trust you enough to let you know about why they aren’t able to get their work done!
As I said..."Kind Leadership is a practice that takes practice!" And the best time to start practicing is today!
We'd love to hear how your practice is doing! And, please feel free to share these tips with everyone you know who wears a Leader Hat (formally or informally) at work, at home and in the community!
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