The Power of a Kind Leader

My best friend, Dr. John Jones, sent me the link to a TEDx talk over the holiday break. He sent it to me because it further validated a conversation about leadership that he and I have been having for over 20 years. We believe and try to always model that being kind, being nice, and being respectful are the most powerful leadership behaviors.

In our shared history, we worked for a leader who modeled this every day. This leader pushed everyone to perform at their best while simultaneously ensuring that we knew how much he valued and cared for us. His decisions were not always popular, but they were respected and led to tremendous accomplishments by the school system because we knew how much he cared for everyone he encountered. He was the type of leader you would run through walls for. 

Kind leaders are the leaders who we want to work for and with. They are also the leaders who tend to be the most successful, as demonstrated through the research highlighted in the video below.

I would encourage you to take 15 minutes to view this video and consider your own leadership behaviors. In the video, you will hear Dr. Christine Porath, a UNC-CH grad now teaching at Georgetown University, recommend that "in every interaction, think 'who do you want to be?'" She encourages us to be "tough-minded on standards and tenderhearted with people."

As leaders, let us be mindful of the myriad of opportunities we are given throughout the day to uplift others and improve the performance of all those around us.

TEDx - Why Being Respectful to Your Coworkers is Good for Business -