The best careers are not shaped by how much money you make or what degrees you have or what your job title says. They are shaped by the times when a boss picked kindness instead of following the rules. They are shaped by the times when a coworker helped without anyone asking them to. They are shaped by one simple act of kindness that changed everything about someone’s work life.
Ten Stories That Prove Kindness Is a Powerful Workplace Skill Here are ten stories that demonstrate how kindness serves as one of the most valuable abilities you can bring to any professional environment rather than being a weakness.
I gave up nearly all my weekends for two years so my colleagues could spend time with their families and I never complained about it. When I eventually requested just one day off on my birthday to see my father who was very sick my manager rejected it and said I should concentrate on my career instead.
The following morning when I got to the office I saw flowers all over my desk. Everyone from my team was standing there holding a card they had written by hand. The card told me to go visit my dad and said they would handle everything while I was gone. They had already rearranged all the work schedules so I could take time off. I travelled to see my father that same day. That birthday ended up being our final one together.
Our team made a serious error on a client project. When we met with senior leadership our manager accepted complete responsibility and explained that it occurred under his supervision. Afterward he explained to us that taking responsibility was part of his job as a manager since we were still developing our skills. What he did created strong loyalty among the team members that lasted a long time.
When a respected colleague retired after thirty years she brought a handwritten document that listed every person who had shown her kindness or made her work meaningful. The CEO shared it with everyone who was mentioned and many people received recognition for the first time.
A senior colleague asked me to come to his office one day. He apologized for a decision he had made several years before that had prevented me from getting an opportunity. He accepted complete responsibility & did not make any excuses. That conversation changed the way I deal with my own mistakes.
Early in my career my supervisor gave me a written note during a review. The note said I was much better at this than I believed and that I needed to start acting like it. I still keep that note with me today.
Our receptionist Maria never had a leadership title but she remembered details about everyone and supported people without making a fuss. She created a real sense of belonging in the office. When she retired the CEO said that hiring her was one of his proudest decisions.
When Sandra was passed over for a promotion that should have been hers she chose to publicly support her colleague Marcus instead of complaining. Several months went by and Marcus got the promotion. Sandra later accepted a more senior position but only if Marcus could join her team.
After I got rejected for a job the hiring manager took extra time to explain what I did well & what I could improve on. Six months later she contacted me again & offered me a position. That moment changed the direction of my career.
When I got laid off one of my coworkers sent me a long message that talked about what I was good at and what I had done for the team. That message really helped me get through one of the toughest times in my career.
communication across all levels of an organization. When people treat each other with respect they listen more carefully and respond more thoughtfully.
