Is Kindness the Ultimate Super Skill?

This particular voyage started on 27^th June.It began with yet another deliberate tumble down the ultimate rabbit hole – the internet.Never dull; it was a journey fraught with dangers . . .Bad news sells and steals attention. And this particular week, bad news was selling like hot cakes. I had to remind myself to beware of the dark places where black holes of trifling trivialities, foolish fripperies, and crass cruelty lurk.Did you know funny cat videos have opiate properties? Pay attention! Worm holes like these will appear suddenly and unexpectedly as you cruise through social media. Masquerading as innocent diversions and light entertainment they suck your time, energy, productivity.With your mind left defenseless, they gobble up your will to make and create. Time literally disappears and you will literally have nothing to show for time spent.Never dull; it was an expedition that promised treasures.So I avoided the black holes and dodged the worm holes. In search of fresh ideas and brainpokes, I followed the path to one of my favourite watering holes.In keeping with the weird world down the rabbit hole, watering holes like these don’t quench your thirst for information; instead they whet your appetite to ask more questions and seek out more knowledge.I landed here and discovered 'Don't tug on capes, share them'; a short blog post by Seth Godin. “Read me!” it demanded. Intrigued, I did.

“Shannon Weber decided that there wasn't enough love, recognition or connection in her world, so she did something about it. When she finds an unsung (don't say 'ordinary' hero) she makes them a cape.

Caping people, catching them doing something right, shining a light on a familiar hero…” Read this short post in full here.

Hooked and curious, the word ‘cape’ beckoned. I wanted to know more about Shannon Weber’s caping escapades.I pressed on in my search and landed here at LoveYou2.org, right smack-in-the-middle of some beautiful, fun and inspiring work in action.The act of caping an unsung hero leads to them being inducted into the Love Superhero Hall of Gratitude. Here Shannon Weber tells it in her own words.

“The everyday and the unsung who offer to the world the very best parts of themselves without expectation. This is a beautiful expression of love in her calm, persistent, generous manner – offering a ripple of change (a metamorphosis) to the world. Inductees to the Love Superhero Hall of Gratitude are caped in recognition of their contributions to a love-filled world.”

I am officially in love with this idea and how it is being executed.BRAINPOKE NOTE TO HR PRACTITIONERS: Great capes!! Here is some inspiration for fun, creative and meaningful employee recognition activities.Dang! I wish I had come up with this idea.It reminded me of another difference-maker's project – Jesse Weinberg, Founder of Kindness & Co.The work of Kindness & Co made it on my list of 6 Uncommonly Good Things Great Workplaces Have in Common.Jesse Weinberg is leading a kindness movement at Kindness & Co by creating novel and fun ways to gift kindness experience. He tells his kindness story in this video.Dang it twice! I wish I had thought of this idea too.So I did the next best thing. Share and connect.I shared with a shout out on social media with a “hey, you two should connect” invitation to connect via Twitter.Just imagine the crazy, positive ripple effect when Love and Kindness connect?Here's another Kindness story for you.I recently accepted an invitation to join HR Positive, a LinkedIn group dedicated to positive discussions about the HR function and positive contributions of HR professionals.I accepted. Refreshing!Last week Steve Browne shared this in the group and via social media. Thanks for the tip!“Check out this new effort !! #HRActofKindnessMy friend Natalie Ellis from the UK is launching an HR Act of Kindness effort. Check it out and get connected!! “I followed the thread to check it out.Every day for 5 days Natalie set a challenge to help spread some positivity in the face of a season of bad news and negativity. It was about finding ways of “brightening a colleague’s day, it will motivate employees, make work more enjoyable and give them something positive to talk about.”We were invited to share our stories of your HR Act of Kindness with her via email and via Twitter too. On Twitter we were encouraged to spread the kindness by # and tagging other people.What a cool, easy, fun riff on spreading kindness and making it contagious! You rock Natalie!!

Why did these Kindness ideas fly?

Here’s my 2 pence. They were:-

Fun
Creative
Easy to opt in or out.
Simple yet powerful
Element of surprise (pleasant)
No stress, no obligation – you were free to say no without pressure.

Plus:-

The initiators created an environment that made people want to reach out, connect and share.
Participants were able to action small meaningful acts of thoughtfulness and contribute to something bigger at the same time.
Individual and tribal appeal that fostered a sense of belonging to something good, that was beneficial to the individual and the wider community.
Immediate warm glow effect. Bad news may sell and steal attention; but positive stories uplift and inspire.

What does it cost you to be kind?

Initial cash outlay and out of pocket expenses: Nil.Actual initial investment: Your time, energy, intent and action.Permission needed: No.Authorisation required: No.In these times of scarcity, kindness exists in abundance and, best of all, it is FREE.But to harness its considerable benefits, you need to put in some work.

Do you dare to be kind?

Friendly, generous, considerate, selfless.Acts of kindness cannot exist without kindness of thought first.Talk is cheap, you need to show kindness in action.People want to feel seen, heard and cared for. They don’t want to be just satisfied and engaged.Individuals want to be recognised, affirmed and inspired to do more - with meaning and purpose invested.What’s at stake? The chance to be happier human beings. The opportunity for a better community – digital and physical.Do you accept the dare?

Is Kindness the ultimate super skill?

Mm! Let’s see. This is perhaps a controversial concept for some as kindness is often un-celebrated and typically dismissed as a mere soft-skill.Times have changed. A revolution is rolling through our personal and business lives. I am sure you have felt it. Seth Godin calls it the Connection Revolution. Now more than ever before value, difference and the remarkable are created by the connections we make and share. Today we live in the Connection Economy.As leaders and HR specialists serious about creating value and difference, we must ask ourselves and find answers to these questions.

What are the human traits and skills needed to thrive in this economy?
How to we ensure that our recruitment activities attract not turn away these qualities?
How do we develop it in ourselves and in the organisations in which we lead?

Watch Seth Godin in this keynote address for ideas of where to start.Keynote given at SAP/SAPPHIRE NOW / ASUG Annual Conference 2013So is kindness a super skill that is valuable in the Connection Economy? I believe it is!Kindness is a language skill that transcends barriers.“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain.Kindness not a clever tactic to be deployed but a mind-set to be adopted and a skill to be practised every day.When kindness is regularly and sincerely practised it can become a super power.This power is activated when kindness is shared with intent - one random or planned act of kindness at a time. Sincere and oft repeated acts of kindness have the power to positively transform the giver and the receiver; and even whole communities.“If one wishes suffering not happen to the people and the earth, it begins with a kind heart.” – Pema Chödrön, Buddist teacher, author, nun.

What Will You Discover When Do You Dare to be Kind?

I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I did making these inspiring kindness discoveries to share with you.Each story is a call to action. It is up to us to raise the bar and widen our kindness reach within our communities.