Page 2 - The Leadership Line: May 2022

Practice kindness

Working remotely has taken away chance interactions in the office place. For many employees, hearing a colleague
say, “Thank you so much” in the hallway, or a manager telling you “Great job” after a presentation were a highlight
of office life. Without hallway interactions or kitchen lunches with colleagues, we don’t have the same opportunities
for social connection as before. Without them, it can be much harder to find joy in our work. So, what can we do
about it? A simple suggestion: practice kindness!

What does it take to be a kind leader? Here are four suggestions:

1. Kind leaders bring vulnerability, authenticity, and transparency to their leadership.
They know that their job is to motivate and inspire others and understand that
strong leadership and vulnerability go hand in hand.
2. Lead by example – by praising members of your team in public (criticizing in
private) you will motivate your team to copy your behavior and create a norm of
kindness.
3. Create a supportive atmosphere – A kind manager can create a relaxed atmosphere
where employees can take on new challenges and responsibilities and develop
themselves since they have the courage to fail.
4. Set Clear Expectations – As Brené Brown, a researcher, says, “Clear is kind and
unclear is unkind.” Set clear expectations and keep employees appraised of their
progress.

Most importantly, kind leaders practice self-kindness! Treat yourself as you would treat a friend or colleague. By
practicing self-kindness, you can be the giver and the receiver of a kind act! Challenge yourself to a deliberate act of
self-kindness this month:
» Watch your self-critic. If you hear a discouraging voice in your head, tell yourself something positive. What would
you tell a friend if you heard them saying such discouraging words to themselves?
» Do something nice for yourself – Flowers, a movie, your favorite hobby!
» Praise yourself! Find one thing to compliment yourself about. Write that on your mirror in dry erase marker.

Kind acts don’t require an enormous amount of effort, just a caring thought and simple actions. It starts with a
caring manager who leads by example, creates a supportive atmosphere, sets clear expectations, and practices self-
kindness!

Self-love & self-awareness

Practicing actions that promote self-love and self-awareness can help
both your physical and psychological well-being.

Becoming a truly effective manager requires a great deal of self-reflection, observation, and growth.
For most of us, it’s an ongoing process. Whether you’re a seasoned manager or new to the ranks, you
may have learned the hard way that the skills that helped you move up the ladder aren’t necessarily
the skills you need for successful leadership. It’s not unusual to see new managers stumble early on as