I Got It! #3 Does Kindness Make a Difference?
As I watched the movie, The Blind Side, it made me think about how being kind and compassionate to others, even when it is difficult, pays you back over and over. The Blind Side is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy, who became an all American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring, spit fire woman and her family.
At first the ‘foster’ relationship is informal however as time progresses each family member’s life is enriched because of their interaction with Michael. Michael had endured so much as a child and yet remained kind and focused. How? His mother, who was a drug addict, had told him to shut his eyes and not see the bad stuff and know that every day, from that moment on would be better, and to not ever to look back.
I think that is good advice for us all. If we focus on what we cannot change and stew in our past -we will never move forward. While past experience can help us make wise decisions, if it becomes our focus, we become stuck. Michael chose to look forward. Do you?
When was the last time you did something kind for someone else? Most of us won’t do something as grand as what is portrayed in this film however little things can make a huge difference. An article in The Calgary Herald titled “Acts of Kindness Build Office Morale” talks about the fact that the younger generation really care about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and will often choose a job for it’s CSR policies and green policies over ones which offer more income.
Most companies I talk to want to attract young employees, so looking at the CSR policies would be a good place to begin. I have seen companies who say they are corporately socially responsible and yet they put unreal expectations on employees and allow bullying by supervisors. If you do not walk the talk, the young workers will not put down their heads and ignore it or try harder, they will call you on it and if nothing changes, they leave.
To build trust and loyalty, companies must move to an integrated strategy approach for CSR which will ultimately have a positive effect on the bottom line. It begins with you. What message do you communicate both verbally and through your actions? When was the last time you focused on the future and what you can do?
A good first step would be to get rid of the words ‘should have’ or ‘can’t because’ and say ‘from now on’ or ‘yes, right after.’ If you think you are dealing with lots of difficult people, sometimes the first place you look for change is within. It can a huge difference and one that you can actually control.
