By Do you believe that good is just a four-letter word that usually means kindness? I believe that the word “pleasant” includes acts of kindness, service, nobility and courage. I was recently driving north on the Queen subway when I saw a man who was apparently blind and was clinging to a cane. As I approached him, he said, “South please, I’m blind.” I reached out my hand and let him hold it. We went south together and I waited for his train to come and put it on and then went on my way.
As I headed back towards the north direction, my original direction, I immediately felt a calm sense of peace, a feeling that I had done something right. This change was quite noticeable, since I had not had a very good day before. One simple act of kindness has rewarded me with a more constructive sense of vitality.
Jonathan Haidt, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, coined the term “elevation” to describe the emotions we experience, something like what I experienced when we encounter or participate in what he calls moral beauty. which means being kind to others for no reason. He also stated that elevation appears to have a triple effect, causing: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes.
Nice As A Leader
After getting lost in the shadows of “aggressive leadership,” a management style that embodies the principle that if someone is a so-called “nice guy,” they are automatically brought down to the mats.
Well, the once mundane character trait is now being given a second look by those in power. Ann Marie Owens wrote about Toronto mogul Gary Shuchat, who threw a party to celebrate people who were kind to him for a period of time with no expectations. “People are automatically supplanted by your position, if you are important, they will be kind to you,” recalled Mr. Shuhat, who, like many of us, noticed the loss of genuine civility in business and society in general and decided something about it. do. “Friendship involves repetitive acts of selflessness—the decision that someone else is more important than you at the moment,” is a good slogan for leadership that Robert Greenleaf discovered when he first described servant leadership.
Servant leaders function at two levels: one to fulfill the goals and needs of their subordinates, and the other to fulfill the larger purpose or mission of their organization. Servant leaders lead in a way that values the self-esteem of others and unleashes people’s creativity. Today, this standard is missing in many organizations where the bottom line is the most important aspect of the business.
“Our success was won not with pitchforks and spears, but with flowers and chocolate,” is a facial expression not worn by many people in business today, but which is a bold platform adopted by entrepreneurs and the authors of The Power of Nice. who enlisted the support of Donald Trump by taking a stand to sow the seeds of decency and make a living.
In a world where social Darwinist thought lives on, insisting that it is the ruthless survival of the fittest, inserting courtesy into any of its aspects is like swallowing honey after a few sips of vinegar.
N.I.C.E in action
N- for nobility:
It only takes a short time on any particular day to tune in to the daily news on television, and one will see the need for an immediate injection of dignity into the affairs of the day. In a recent Toronto Star publication, we were reminded of the terrible onslaught of confidence when the last of the 15 Enron executives who pled guilty to participating in the 2004 shareholder embezzlement were handed down.
I-for Interest:
Take an interest in the well-being of the people around you, because you can reap many benefits. In fact, a University of Michigan study found that older Americans who provide support to others either through volunteer work or simply by being good listeners and neighbors had a 60% lower rate of premature death than their helpless peers.
C- for Courtesy:
Be polite to those who cross your path. “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you” is the golden rule that extends to privileges. I can recall the story of one of my former workplace colleagues who took the time to listen to one of our cleaners. This employee felt he was being mistreated and needed someone to talk to. Shortly after this incident, he was hired elsewhere and informed my direct employee, who listened to his concerns that day, about the vacancies, the rest is history. A simple show of courtesy rewarded her colleague with her life’s work.
E- for encouragement.
I once worked with a new employee who showed that she lacked confidence in getting the job done. The other members of the team were disinterested in her and appreciated her competence, I, on the other hand, recognized that she needed support and someone to provide a supportive learning environment. When we worked together, I motivated her, asked for permission to help her, and not take over her work. As a result of this ongoing support, I have noticed a gradual increase in this employee’s confidence, resulting in higher levels of individual performance as well as team performance.
