If you understand each other, you will be kind to each other.
Here is one quote, one question and one idea to contemplate.
“If you understand each other, you will be kind to each other.”
- John Steinbeck
How could you infuse more kindness with your team members today?
In our professional environments, engagement is often discussed in broad strokes—company-wide initiatives, blanket policies, and standardized surveys. In my experience, the most engaged organizations aren’t created through a one-size-fits-all approach but through leaders who recognize the importance of individualized, human-to-human interactions. It is these interactions that foster engaged and productive teams. Teams that demonstrate kindness with one another.
Consider how a focused one-on-one conversation can transform the way you feel. When we take the time to truly understand our team members, we open the door to a more productive workplace. Asking them not just about their progress, but about what is motivating them right now, where might they feel stuck, what could help them get unstuck and what excites them about the next steps. This approach fosters understanding and models kindness.
By embedding these personalized conversations into our leadership practice, we are not only addressing immediate work challenges but also cultivating an environment where lasting engagement is possible. It is important to remember that productivity is inseparable from the people driving it. As leaders, we have the opportunity to create the space where understanding can thrive. In doing so, we can allow kindness and connection to propel our team and organization forward.
Until next time,
Maria
P.S. If this has been helpful, then feel free to pass it along to someone else who might enjoy it too.
‘UNDERSTOOD: The Greatest Human Need and the Key to Engagement’
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why we struggle to understand others
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