Jane Hancock, A/Chief Operating Officer
Be Kind
“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” Henry James
Now just for a minute stop where you are and think about how YOU felt when you were kind to someone. Are you remembering feelings of connectedness and warmth? Perhaps this memory evokes feelings of satisfaction and happiness? You may have felt comfort or less stress? Did you smile with the memory? How about how you felt when you demonstrated kindness?
Numerous studies including one conducted by Sonja Lyubomirsky from the University of California show that practicing deliberate acts of kindness and gratitude can increase happiness, satisfaction with work and life and general wellbeing.
The word kindness has many synonyms which assist us to grasp what kindness is: affection, warmth, concern, care, consideration, helpfulness, selflessness, sympathy, hospitality, and patience.
Demonstrating kindness in the workplace can help reduce stress and improve work performance, your productivity and the productivity of your team, and of course the outcomes for our patients and consumers. Unsurprisingly, kindness can have a therapeutic benefit for patients and their families. David Hamilton (author of Why Kindness is Good for You and The Contagious Power of Thinking) explains how kindness can also be good for us. Individually when we do something kind or generous, he writes, the levels of dopamine in the brain are elevated, which makes us feel good. But beyond that, the “emotional warmth” that accompanies a caring action produces a hormone called oxytocin that can reduce blood pressure and decrease levels of damaging free radicals and inflammation.
As a leader, I have struggled to counter the popular view that showing kindness in leadership is a weakness. I assure you that demonstrating kindness and compassion is critical to leadership effectiveness.
Being kind does not mean that you are letting anyone off the hook or not being tough!
As a leader, an aspiring leader, or a team member kindness demands you:
- Help the team – create resilience and solutions that will enable them to meet the expectations and performance goals that have been set.
- Recognise and celebrate achievements.
- Listen.
- Give honest feedback, kindly, to your team members and patients.
- Provide help when needed and don’t use this call for help against the person directly or indirectly.
- If you have had a difficult conversation or performance review with someone then keep it yourself.
- Lastly, try for consistency – it is easy to be kind when everything is going well. It is much more challenging to be kind under pressure especially in a pressured clinical environment.
Honestly, I have not mastered this but every day I strive to be better!
Our Call To Action
Demonstrate an act of kindness today and help create an even happier and stronger workplace. Make a commitment to yourself to be a kinder leader, team member, clinician, care giver and a kinder person.
Warm regards,
Jane