Kindness, was identified as a theme some months ago, when we started to see the extraordinary different examples of localised acts of kindness in communities affected by Covid19. As our contributions testify, kindness, perhaps once seen as something not necessarily highly praised in business, leadership or society generally, has arisen as an over-riding and compelling trait, which we as individuals often seek and as a society we need.

My selection of an image of the Lincoln Memorial was based on hoping to highlight a quote from this remarkable leader, which seemed relevant to these times . He said;
‘Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out’.

What an evocative way of expressing the durability of acts of kindness, which surely all of us have felt at some time and through this year with its various ‘life storms’, have undoubtedly required. When one has been helped by someone, or has witnessed perhaps the most negative of incidents in the world, the lasting personal sentiment which we will carry with us, is most likely to be the image of someone lending a hand, not shaking a fist. This offers us hope and inspiration, the act of kindness seen as something to celebrate and acknowledge. Just think how powerful this image was from the London riots surrounding Black Lives Matter.

This protestor, Patrick Hutchinson, put aside any conflict with an opposing protestor to carry him to safety. This was a symbolic act of human kindness which is far more memorable than the violence which was illustrative of that day.

In this edition, we hear from a wide range of leaders about their views of kindness in business, personally, in society generally and around how various traits can be reflected through individual action and collective concern.

When I was asked to contribute to the research undertaken by Omnicom agency Hall & Partners, with Said Business School, the Global Thinkers Forum and Leading Lights Initiative, I thought hard about my responses to a range of question concerning kindness in business. My start point is one which I often use when I am asked about specific things, namely that of the dictionary.

I do this because quite often we assume aspects around words and meanings which may not always be universally appreciated, or indeed the dictionary definition can remind us of aspects we have forgotten. However, in this instance my dictionary definition very much aligned to my own understanding, namely: ‘the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate’. This is what it means to me, both in terms as to how I hope to behave and how I hope to see others behave to me and other parties.

I also reflected that Organizations are neither kind or unkind, they are simply the manifestation of the people and the culture which dominates. Sometimes the culture is shaped by the leader, or sometimes by the absence of the leader having strong kind qualities. The result is that over time, an unkind culture can become dominant. As ‘like recruits like’, rewards can then flow towards behaviours which run contrary to kindness and systems evolve to keep those who manage the culture, protected. This is how systemic misogyny, or racism or other unkind behaviours flourish. Sadly I have been in an organization like that and it leaves a very bitter experience to find that one has inadvertently helped such organizations continue, but if you cannot find the way to change such systems, you have to leave or become corrupted oneself. Kindness is something which, rather like one’s good name, needs to be guarded as a precious thing.

I am certain that I haven’t always been as considerate, friendly or generous as I should or would like to have been, but when one thinks of one’s legacy, or what people might say when one is gone, what better sentiment would it be than to be described as ‘kind’. I think that would be the most wonderful thing for anyone.

Enjoy this edition,
And good luck with expressing your own kindness in the world.