Kindness is often overlooked and undervalued in the workplace, especially in leadership positions. Many people assume kindness is incompatible with authority, competence, or even professionalism.
However, research and practice have shown that kindness can be such a powerful asset for leaders. It fosters trust, collaboration, innovation, and wellbeing among employees and customers. It also boosts your own performance, satisfaction, and reputation.
Leadership and team coach Roxana Radulescu explains that leading with kindness is an intentional and consistent expression of compassion, empathy, respect, and generosity towards oneself and other people in the context of work. So, what does kindness in leadership look like?
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Recognising and appreciating employees’ efforts and achievements
- Supporting, guiding, and mentoring
- Encouraging collaboration
- Giving constructive feedback
- Fostering an inclusive culture
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Being open to new ideas
- Growth mindset
Kindness in leadership is not a personality trait or a one-time act. It’s a mindset and a habit that can be developed over time. To help you implement kindness into your leadership style, Radulescu suggests some strategies to help:
- Reflect - regularly assess how your actions and decisions align with the principles of kind leadership.
- Identify your strengths and areas of improvement – seek feedback or use self-assessment tools like the Kind Leadership Inventory or Kind Leader Compass.
- Develop a plan to enhance your kindness skills.
A kind leader isn’t just someone who is ‘soft’ or ‘nice’. They communicate clearly, offer constructive feedback and listen to truly understand. Leading with kindness requires a conscious and deliberate effort. Hold yourself and your team accountable and set specific and measurable goals to track and monitor your progress.
To get more tips on how to improve your kindness skills and behaviours and develop an action plan, listen to Roxana Radulescu in her audio on Leading with Kindness.
