How Leaders Create Lasting Impact Through The Power of Kindness

I’ve written for my leadership blog for more than a decade and so, I’d like to start this piece off with something different.

I want to challenge you to do something today that you will find easy to do, that you might not even think is that big a deal, but which I promise you will have a lasting impact far bigger than you might realize.

I want you to take a moment here to share with one of your employees a few words of kindness.

For example, you could tell your employee how much you appreciate an idea they shared at the last meeting.

Or maybe it’s an extra detail they shared in a report they submitted that helped give you a new perspective or context regarding an on-going initiative.

The point is it doesn’t have to be something big or extraordinary that they did. Rather, the goal is just to share with them a few words that shows you see them and appreciate their efforts.

Granted, this won’t seem like a big deal. But trust me when I say you’ll be creating a positive ripple effect that can have a lasting impact, an impact that in some cases you might not truly appreciate until years from now.

But if this isn’t a big deal to do, why is sharing a few words of kindness critical to creating a lasting impact through your leadership?

Consider the one thing every new leader is advised when taking on this new responsibility – be mindful of your every word and action because your team is paying attention. It’s how they come to better understand what really matters and what you as a leader actually care about.

This is often referred to as leaders being “under a microscope” and it’s why leaders face rising demands on their time and attention, especially during periods of uncertainty. In such moments like we are in right now, it’s natural for employees to want to look to those in charge for some sense of clarity and context.

But I want to encourage you to recognize the opportunity this also presents. Namely, how this means a simple gesture like sharing a few words of kindness with an employee can be the very thing someone needs to get through their day.

Or maybe it’ll be an unexpected gift that reminds them of just how much they are valued by those around them.

On top of it, this simple gesture you make will also shape and inform how your employees communicate and collaborate with each other. Instead of seeing one another as competitors vying for your time and those precious few resources, they will begin to see each other as team players driven by a common cause.

If you’ve been lucky enough as I am to have worked with leaders who inspire and empower you to deliver your best, you know just how enduring the impact is from these brief touchpoints.

Even now, years later, I still remember those moments of kindness these leaders shared with me, and how it influenced not only how I saw myself in that moment, but how it inspired me to keeping pushing myself towards that better version of who I could be.

In many ways, kindness is a leadership superpower that helps us transform our interactions from being merely transactional to ones framed with intentionality and purpose.

So while you might never truly know or understand the impact you will have through this simple gesture, of the positive ripples you could create within your team and consequently throughout the organization, I hope this inspires you to reach out to one of your employees and share with them some words of kindness.

Trust me when I say they will not only thank you for it, but it will transform both of you for the better.

And the way things are going these days, one thing that’s clear is we could all use a lot more kindness in our days.

And as it is the nature of leadership, this means it’s our obligation as leaders to take that first step in going first.