Kindness In The Workplace

Kindness is an underrated superpower.

It’s often mistaken for weakness or seen as something “extra” rather than essential. But when you show genuine kindness at work and in life - without expecting anything in return, you’re not just making your environment better, you’re actively transforming it and yourself. 
 Kindness fosters trust, collaboration, and positivity. People who feel valued and supported are naturally more engaged and motivated. They’re more likely to help others, share ideas, and contribute to a culture where everyone can thrive. 

And the beauty of it is, kindness doesn’t require you to be in a leadership position - it’s something you can offer no matter your role.
 Here’s how to bring kindness into your workplace in tangible ways: 1. Start with Small Acts: Hold the lift door for a colleague, offer to grab someone a coffee, or help a team member who’s struggling with a task. These small gestures create a positive ripple effect, making the workplace more collaborative and friendly.
 2. Acknowledge Others’ Efforts: Recognise when your colleagues are doing great work, especially when it might go unnoticed. A simple “well done” or “I appreciate your help” can boost morale significantly. When people feel appreciated, they’re more likely to engage with enthusiasm.
 3. Listen Attentively: In meetings or casual conversations, give people your full attention. Don’t just wait for your turn to speak. Active listening shows respect and makes others feel valued. It fosters deeper connections and opens the door to more meaningful collaboration.
 4. Be Patient with Mistakes: When someone makes a mistake, approach it with patience and understanding instead of frustration. We all have off days. Offering support rather than blame builds trust and helps your team learn and grow together.
 5. Offer Help Without Agenda: If you see a colleague overwhelmed or stuck, offer assistance without expecting a favour in return. Whether it’s staying late to help meet a deadline or simply offering advice, selfless support strengthens team bonds.
 6. Create a Safe Space for Feedback: Make it easy for colleagues to voice their opinions and ideas without fear of judgement. Encourage open dialogue and respond to feedback with kindness, even when it’s critical. This creates a culture of continuous improvement and trust.
 7. Celebrate Wins, Big or Small: Whether it’s completing a big project or overcoming a small challenge, celebrate the achievements of your team. Recognition keeps people motivated and connected to their work, reinforcing a positive and encouraging atmosphere.
 8. Be Kind to Yourself: It’s easy to be hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned. But self-compassion is key to maintaining balance. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you offer others, allowing room for growth and rest when needed. ♻️Adam Grant

I was a terrible leader in the first half of my career. But through trial and error I've learned so much along the way, and still do every day. A lot of leadership advice focuses on the negatives. The things that shouldn't be happening. Somtimes that's important. But so is knowing what "good looks like", like my friend Chris Donnelly shares with his "Leadership Green Flags" We must model good. And celebrate good. After 20+ years of experience, here are some of the top traits I believe great leaders demonstrate: * Personal Interest: They see you as a person, not just a number. * Value Your Ideas: They actively seek your contributions to decisions. * Respect Your Time: They avoid scheduling meetings during lunch breaks, for example. * Seek Feedback on Culture: They are invested in nurturing a positive workplace culture. * Act on Feedback: They quickly implement changes based on your suggestions. * Energize Every Room: Their presence boosts morale and inspires. * Lead by Example: They're hands-on and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you. * Maintain Boundaries: They set and respect clear boundaries. * Handle Issues Sensitively: They praise in public and correct in private. * Openness: They're transparent about their needs, wants, and plans. * Share Success: They distribute the rewards of success fairly. * Recognize Contributions: They consistently acknowledge your hard work. Do these qualities remind you of someone? Tag them below to show your appreciation. ⬇️ ♻️ Share this post to celebrate great leadership in your network! And follow Eric Partaker for more. 📌 Want a hi-res PDF of this sheet? Try Chris' free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/duVe5JJJ You'll get 30+ high-value leadership, business and personal resources.

Want your team to perform better this year? Express genuine positivity, early. Researchers published in Organization Science studied 9,968 consultants across 20 months. The result? Consultants who received positive feedback early in the year performed significantly better—regardless of past performance. When leaders express positive emotions early on… Employees feel seen. They feel respected. And they’re driven to maintain that respect all year long. It creates a motivational anchor. Athletes show the same pattern. Another study tracked 245 NCAA athletes and 86 coaches. Those who received early-season praise from their coaches performed better even after controlling for playtime or past stats. But here’s the twist: Teams performed BEST when leaders paired early praise… with a little constructive feedback at the midpoint. Not harsh. Just honest. It’s the classic tough-love combo, with the love first. Why it works: Midpoint critique signals, “You can do better and I believe you will.” It gives people a chance to re-earn the respect they value. And that challenge? It boosts motivation and focus. So, what should you do? Start projects with specific, heartfelt praise. Avoid constant negativity, it backfires. Use midpoints to give clear, constructive feedback. Sequence matters more than style. The bottom line: You don’t have to choose between kindness and candor. Lead with warmth. Course-correct with honesty. The right emotional timing doesn’t just feel better it delivers results.

If you’ve ever tried to appreciate someone at work, but it didn’t land the way you intended, you’re not alone. Dr. Gary Chapman found that, just like love languages, we each have appreciation languages, the way we feel valued and seen at work. And when the language we give doesn’t match the language someone receives, it can feel like our effort "missed," even if our intention was heartfelt. Before we dive in, do this with me: Write down the 5 people you interact with most: manager, teammates, direct reports, clients, or collaborators. We’re going to profile them. There are five appreciation languages, and each requires a different expression strategy: 1. Quality Time This isn’t “we were in meetings together.” This is focused, uninterrupted, one-on-one time. Quality-time coworkers feel appreciated when they truly connect, not in group settings, rushed chats, or quick “You good?” check-ins. Ways to appreciate them: • Dedicated 1:1s, not “tacked on at the end” • Learning or planning time together (book clubs, brainstorms, challenges) • Team retreats or shared experiences • Bonus: You can gift them time. For example, “Head out early and take tonight for yourself.” 2. Gifts Not “expensive,” but thoughtful. They love meaningful, personal, “this made me think of you” tokens. This could be: • Their favorite snack • A tiny trip souvenir • A funny desk trinket • Holiday / birthday surprises • Small “inside-joke” objects Spot them: Their desk or shelves are filled with keepsakes they never throw away. 3. Physical Touch (tricky at work, but still real) These people feel reassurance and warmth through appropriate physical contact. Because workplaces are now hybrid or virtual, we must adapt: Ways to appreciate appropriately: • Begin & end meetings with handshakes or high-fives • Supportive shoulder pats (only if welcome) • Eye contact • Consider “indirect touch gifts”: massage chair day, spa / pedicure gift vouchers 4. Acts of Service (my personal #1) These people show and feel appreciation through helping, finishing, anticipating, and removing friction. “I handled that for you” = emotional gold. Ways to appreciate them: • Take tasks off their plate • Handle details before they ask • Send updates proactively • Mental acts of service count too (“I’ve been thinking ahead on next month. Here are three ideas”) 5. Words of Affirmation They need to hear or read it. “Good work” is fine, but specific praise is what nourishes them. Ways to appreciate them: • Verbal praise (1:1 or group) • Thoughtful emails or Slack messages • Public recognition • LinkedIn recommendations • End-of-call acknowledgements: “I love working with you. This was great.”

At Radical Candor, I often hear the question, "How do I know if my feedback is landing?" The answer is simple but not always easy: Radical Candor is measured not at your mouth, but at the listener’s ear. It’s not about what you said, it’s about how the other person heard it and whether it led to meaningful dialogue and growth. Before you start giving feedback, remember the Radical Candor order of operations: get feedback before you give it. The best way to understand how another person thinks is to ask them directly and reward their candor. Next, give praise that is specific and sincere. This helps remind you what you appreciate about your colleagues, so when you do offer criticism, you can do it in the spirit of being helpful to someone you care about. When giving feedback, start in a neutral place. Don't begin at the outer edge of Challenge Directly, as this might come across as Obnoxious Aggression. Just make sure you're above the line on Care Personally and clear about what you're saying. Pay attention to how the other person responds - are they receptive, defensive, sad, or angry? Their reaction will guide your next steps. If someone becomes sad or angry, this is your cue to move up on the Care Personally dimension. Don't back off your challenge - that leads to Ruinous Empathy. Instead, acknowledge the emotion you're noticing: 'It seems like I've upset you.' Remember that emotions are natural and inevitable at work. Sometimes just giving voice to them helps both people cope better. If someone isn't hearing your feedback or brushing it off, you'll need to move further out on Challenge Directly. This can feel uncomfortable, but remember - clear is kind. You might say, 'I want to make sure I'm being as clear as possible' or 'I don't feel like I'm being clear.' Use 'I' statements and come prepared with specific examples. Most importantly, don't get discouraged if feedback conversations sometimes go sideways. We tend to remember the one time feedback went wrong and forget the nine times it helped someone improve and strengthened our relationship. Focus on optimizing for those nine successes rather than avoiding the one potential difficult conversation. Creating a culture of feedback takes time and practice. Each conversation is an opportunity to get better at both giving and receiving feedback. When you get it right, feedback becomes a powerful tool for building stronger relationships and achieving better results together. What’s one small adjustment you’ve made to give or receive better feedback? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Here’s what most won’t admit— A leadership title means nothing if no one wants to follow you. And yet, too many leaders are stuck: ✔ Holding meetings, but not minds ✔ Setting goals, but not inspiring growth ✔ Managing people, but not truly leading them 👉 Leadership isn’t about control — it’s about character. And the best leaders? They practice it daily through how they show up, not just what they say. Here are 10 traits that define powerful leadership — and the tough questions every leader should be asking themselves: 1. Vision = Sees what’s possible and inspires others to help build it. → Am I giving people a reason to believe in tomorrow—or just tasks for today? 2. Passion = Brings energy, purpose, and belief to every room. → Do I just show up—or do I light something up in others? 3. Honesty = Builds trust with transparency and real talk. → Do my people feel safe telling me the truth? 4. Integrity = Stays consistent—even when no one’s watching. → Do I live my values when it’s inconvenient, too? 5. Decisiveness = Makes clear calls—even when the answer isn’t easy. → Do I lead with clarity, or hide behind consensus? 6. Confidence = Inspires belief without arrogance. → Do I lift people up—or make them doubt themselves? 7. Communication = Connects with clarity, empathy, and intent. → Do I speak to be understood—or just to be right? 8. Emotional Intelligence = Understands people, emotions, and the weight of words. → Do I listen deeply—or just wait for my turn to talk? 9. Resilience = Learns from failure, bounces forward, and keeps going. → When things go wrong, do I lead with strength—or silence? 10. Supportive = Creates space for others to thrive, not just survive. → Do people grow because of me—or in spite of me? Leadership isn’t about perfection. → It’s about presence.  → Self-awareness.  → Courage to keep getting better. If you want to lead at your highest level, don’t just manage these traits—embody them. 🧭 Which 3 traits do you lead strongest with? ⚠️ Which 1 do you know you need to develop? Drop it in the comments and let’s grow together. ⬇️ ♻️ Share this with your network if it resonates. ☝️ And follow Stuart Andrews for more insights like this.

Leaders who avoid hard feedback aren’t protecting their people, they are setting them up to fail. Feedback is one of the most powerful tools we have in leadership but it’s also one of the most misused. Because leaders confuse compassion with avoidance, softening the truth until it loses all usefulness, or withholding it altogether under the guise of kindness. Compassionate feedback is about caring enough to be honest, in a way that allows other people to hear it. At APS Intelligence, we use a framework for compassionate feedback, designed to ensure that even difficult messages are delivered with clarity and respect: 1. Frame the feedback - Start by recognising effort and value to create psychological safety and remind people their work is seen and appreciated. 2. Ask permission - Feedback lands better when people feel like they have agency. Asking “Can I talk to you about something I’ve noticed?” is, as Dr. Shelby Hill says, a gentle knock on the door of someone’s psyche instead of barging in. 3. Be precise and objective - Describe what you’ve observed, not your interpretation of it. Feedback should focus on behaviour, not character. 4. Explain the impact - Share how the behaviour affects others or the work. Clarity about consequences builds accountability without blame. 5. Stay curious and open - Avoid assumptions. Ask questions that invite dialogue and understanding, not defence. 6. Collaborate on next steps - Offer support, not ultimatums. Feedback should be a shared problem to solve instead of a burden to bear. 7. End with perspective - Reaffirm their strengths and remind them that one issue does not define their value. Compassionate feedback allows honesty and humanity to coexist. It ensures that when people walk away, they feel respected, even if the message was hard to hear. This is a framework we use often at APS Intelligence. You can book a tailored workshop for your people managers or leadership cohorts to explore this further.

How often do you feel validated at work? For most people, the answer is "not that often." That is a missed opportunity. Emotional validation is not just nice to have; it’s really important for our well-being and performance. A 2011 study by researchers Chad Shenk and Alan Fruzzetti found that when participants' emotions were validated as they solved complex math problems without any tools to help them ("It’s understandably frustrating to do this without a pencil or paper"), they experienced lower stress. But those who received invalidating responses ("I don’t understand why you’d feel that way") experienced increased stress. This simple act of validating or invalidating someone’s feelings had a measurable physiological impact. Why, then, is such a powerful tool so rarely used at work? Too often, the hustle of hitting targets and the mechanics of management overshadow the human element of work. We forget that behind every email, every project, and every meeting, there are human beings who yearn for their feelings and perspectives to be acknowledged and respected. The truth is, emotional validation is not just about being kind; it's a strategic imperative that fosters a healthier, more productive workplace. It enables people to cope better with stress, enhances teamwork, and drives engagement. Small moments of validation can transform an ordinary day into a profoundly motivating one. How will you bring validation into your workplace today? #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #WorkplaceWellbeing #Productivity #Teamwork #HumanResources #Leadership

I have a confession to make 😬 When I first started my #training and #facilitation journey over a decade ago, I used to have all the chairs organized nicely in a circle, would welcome people warmly as they arrived into the room, but then we would mostly wait in silence until all the participants walked in to kick off the engagement. CRINGE WORTHY I KNOW! 🤯 😅 At least it shows me how far I've come in my own training career! 😊 This week is all about the 2nd stage of the 5E #ExperienceDesign model: ENTRY! 👉 The exact moment your audience arrives at your online or in-person session, you set the tone for how the event will run. 🤩 I've now (thankfully) learned how important it is to lead #unofficialstart activities and connect from the very moment the audience arrives to foster engagement throughout! This serves multiple purposes: 💡 it engages everyone early on to foster interaction later on, 💡 it creates a welcoming atmosphere and builds #psychologicalsafety (not fear about what will happen in the dreaded silence!) 💡 it creates curiosity and intrigue 💡 it invites your participants to be present and ready to interact (instead of checking email or their phones until the official start). 💡 it rewards those who arrive early / on time instead of rewarding those who arrive late. I'll be sharing more examples of what this can look like this week, however, for today's #TrainerToolTuesday I had to spotlight Chad Littlefield's incredible packet of resources that do exactly this! 👀 Check out: 🤝If you're in-person: the new We and Me Connect Sticker Name Tags https://lnkd.in/dex4sJjt (with a fun video shared here on 5 creative ways to use them!) 💻 If you're online: We and Me Start Art to begin with music and collaborative drawing: https://lnkd.in/d9wdcxP3 What are YOUR favorite ways to spark connection and engagement at the entry of your experience? Let me know in the comments below 👇 #ExperienceLearningwithRomy

Your title doesn’t make you a leader. Your actions do. And no actions speak louder than how you treat your team. The wrong ones cut them down.  The right ones lift the up. Here’s how great leaders ALWAYS say the right things:  (and 10 phrases that backfire) 1. ❌ "Let me know if you need anything." ↳ Puts the burden on them to ask for help. ✅ "I'll check in with you Thursday on [specific challenge]." ↳ Makes support proactive and actionable. 2. ❌ "Who dropped the ball here?" ↳ Sparks blame instead of solutions. ✅ "Walk me through what happened so we can prevent this next time." ↳ Encourages learning and accountability. 3. ❌ "We've always done it this way." ↳ Shuts down innovation. ✅ "Help me understand what you're seeing" ↳ Invites fresh ideas and perspectives. 4. ❌ "That's not your job." ↳ Stifles initiative. ✅ "I appreciate you spotting that. Let’s discuss how to handle it." ↳ Encourages ownership and collaboration. 5. ❌ "You should have..." ↳ Creates shame and defensiveness. ✅ "Next time, what if we try...?" ↳ Keeps feedback future-focused and constructive. 6. ❌ "I don’t have time right now." ↳ Makes people feel unimportant. ✅ "I want to give this the attention it deserves." ↳ Shows you care while setting clear expectations. 7. ❌ "Just figure it out." ↳ Creates stress and isolation. ✅ "What part are you stuck on? Let’s break it down together." ↳ Supports problem-solving without micromanaging. 8. ❌ "That’s a bad idea." ↳ Shuts down creativity. ✅ "What problem are you trying to solve?" ↳ Encourages discussion instead of dismissal. 9. ❌ "I'm disappointed in you." ↳ Triggers shame and damages trust. ✅ "I know you can do better. What do you need?" ↳ Maintains high standards while offering support. 10. ❌ "Because I said so." ↳ Kills buy-in and motivation. ✅ "Let me share my thinking on this." ↳ Builds trust through transparency. The best leaders know: It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. What’s your take? ♻️ Repost to help others  🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more.