The Greatest Gift of Kindness? Your Full Attention
Tomorrow, November 13 is World Kindness Day, something that too often feels in short supply these days. In fact, more and more references to an "empathy recession" are cropping up in articles, citing research that suggests as a society we are becoming less and less empathetic with one
another.
On that note (by the way, I'll be referencing this in my upcoming Mastering Challenging Workplace Conversations mini course), I recently re-watched the fabulous movie As Good as It Gets on the plane. There's a scene where
the characters played by Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, and Jack Nicholson are driving to Baltimore from New York. Helen Hunt's character, who is driving, gets into a deeply emotional conversation with Greg Kinnear's character about his rocky relationship with his parents. Helen Hunt's character then says, "I'm going to pull over up ahead because..."
"You deserve my full attention."
What a simple but powerful sentence. And isn't this one of the greatest gifts of kindness we can offer someone? To simply be fully present. To listen. To be with them. To offer them the gift of our time. And all it takes is slowing down and finding
a "place to pull over."
I don't know how we turn a societal empathy recession into an empathy boom, but I do know this. Kindness is always a choice. Always. Including during the most challenging of situations.
Kindness, I also know, is
contagious. Kindness is infectious. Kindness is an act of strength, never an act of weakness.
So maybe this is a great time to have a conversation with your team about how people are showing up in your workplace. Be brave enough to dedicate some time asking the question: Is your workplace suffering from an empathy recession, and if so, how we can turn it around?"
Mike's Fun at Work Tip
This meeting icebreaker has been around forever, but it's a fun one to pull out every now and then: Two truths and a lie. Where everyone has to make three statements about themselves, and participants have to guess which statement is the lie.
Quote of the Week
"The whole art of life is in knowing how to convert anxiety into laughter.” Alan Watts
Funny Business
Collins Dictionary has recently added several new words, including one that I hope you don't need to use in your workplace, and a term I'm sure George Costanza of Seinfeld would have benefited from:
"Taskmasking": The act of giving a false impression that one is being productive at work.
Stop Losing Sleep, Start Talking More: Mastering Conversations at Work
If you ever DREAD having conversations with your boss, a coworker, or a client, then this inspiring and
idea-packed fun one-hour virtual presentation is for you and maybe your entire team!
I'll share conversation mindsets, and techniques to help you feel more confident going into any conversation, from check-in conversations to those icky conversations you dread.
WHEN:Tuesday, November 25, 11 am MST/1 pm EST.
60 fast-paced minutes, with a bonus 30 minutes afterwards for Q & A for those who can stay.
It will be recorded so if you can't make the live recording
we've got you covered.
