Kindness is a virtue that all good leaders practise toward their employees. As the pandemic redefines what workers value most in 2021, there is no way around it. What economists call “the Great Resignation” is in full swing, with more than 40 per cent of workers wanting to change jobs.
Many factors contribute to employers’ reluctance to adopt hybrid working practices.
A new generation of talent will be attracted to companies that are thoughtful and innovative. Whether you have 10 or 10,000 employees, it’s time to practise radical kindness in business.
With Glenn and Mindy Stearns (Burbano), SUCCESS People Editor Tristan Ahumada discusses leading with kindness in Brilliant Thoughts. It’s no secret that Mindy Kaling, media personality and philanthropist, is passionate about helping people.
As a real estate agent, Glenn aspires to change his industry’s aggressive, profit-driven attitude. Kind Lending, a company where “fun is mandatory” and “friendly professionals” assist homebuyers, was founded by him in the last few months.
A little kindness in your business – are you up for the challenge? There are three things that Stearns recommend to keep your employees satisfied and healthy.
1. Put Your People Before Profit
No matter what, a kind leader embraces each team member’s humanity. Their lives aren’t dominated by work after 5 p.m. Employees spend their free time caring for their families, hanging out with friends, and pursuing their passions, among other activities.
Embrace the whole person, not just their business value, if you want to create a warm office culture You have to change your mindset if you want to lead with kindness and put people first.
“Wall Street’s wave swept through our industry, and it was all about profit and loss,” Glenn says. In our second attempt, we pondered: Why not put people before profits? Why don’t we try it [again]? A public company is not necessary for me.
As a result, I don’t need the backing of private equity or any other group. “Why not follow your heart?”
Working for and not just with people is Glenn’s top priority when it comes to servant leadership, which he practises. As a result, employees can tell a difference in their work environment.
2. Be Humble
A business owner’s life is full of enviable perks. Everything is up to you, from setting fair wages to allowing employees to work from home full time. But don’t forget that being a CEO requires a certain amount of self-discipline.
The people who work for you need a strong, empathetic leader who treats them well.
It is important to Mindy that Glenn does not have an ego about the people he surrounds himself with. “I want to find the smartest people who know more than I do,” he says.
The growth of your business depends on the hiring of talented employees and the celebration of their successes. As corny as it sounds, it’s true. As Glenn and Mindy learned about a former employee’s job, they saw this dynamic in action.
Mortgage origination fees are an additional cost associated with mortgage lending. In one month, the employee claimed to have made a lot of money. However, instead of appreciating his company’s success, he made an impetuous, egocentric decision.
Their jobs were terminated by an email from Human Resources, which read, “No salesperson can make more money than the CEO,” Mindy recalls.
That’s a painful loss for everyone involved. The company let go of a top salesperson and thousands of dollars in potential revenue as a result of the firing.
There is a difference in the approach taken by Mindy and Glenn.
Employers don’t care if their employees make more money than they do. No one will blink an eye when someone reaches an unheard-of achievement level. In fact, they’re happy to have it happen. Every entrepreneur should learn from this powerful lesson in kindness.
3. Help Your People Grow, Even If It Means Making a Huge Sacrifice
As a business owner, what does kindness look like? Glenn and Mindy say the answer isn’t what most people expect it to be. Snacks and drinks at Happy Hour are nice, but they don’t go far enough. True benevolence in business requires so much more.
You can, for example, change the life of an employee by putting their needs ahead of your own. When the CEO is busy, this is a rare gift.
You are valued and loved by Glenn when you work for him. “Even if you leave, we will still value, care about, and love you,” she said. In both cases, there’s no discernible difference between the two. Recently, I’ve noticed that when you leave, your commissions are cut and your client list is now the houses instead of your own.
Whenever you decide to leave [us], all of your commissions and all of your loans will remain yours. Your list is all yours to keep or to discard. Your team belongs to you if you brought one.”
That’s the pinnacle of kindness, my friend. As a manager, you’ve succeeded if your employees leave in a better position than when they arrived.
Improved business practices can always be implemented in small steps. To show their employees that they care, Glenn and Mindy take the following steps.
- Because they don’t take themselves too seriously, neither do their employees.
- Even when business goals demand their attention, they place a high value on having a good time at work.
- Because they want to maintain a pool of talent, they cultivate long-term relationships with their workers.