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The Case for Kindness
How the deliberate practice of kindness makes you and your company more successful
It’s so easy in our working lives to be focused on getting things done. There’s always more things to do than we have hours in the day. The pressure is always there to be making progress. It’s always easy to say to other people how we need more from them. Along the way we forget the things which bind us together as human beings. Purpose is wonderful and can drive people to achieve wonderful things but it’s not the glue which truly holds us together.
That glue is kindness and consideration. Without which purpose becomes a rather brittle connection. The crazy thing is that we all have it in ourselves to be kind, it costs us as next to nothing as makes no difference and it results in an environment where we individually and collectively have a higher chance of success. One where we feel supported. And, one which is inspiring to be a part of. Let me explain how.
One of the tools of influence in Robert Cialdini’s book of the same name is reciprocity. As humans we are hardwired to want to do things for people who have done things for or given things to us. If you look at societies around the world then every one of them sets a very high store by the reciprocal exchange of gifts. If you invite me to dinner I bring flowers and a bottle of wine. I give you birthday and Christmas…
