Kindness: The Secret Sauce of Business Success

Kindness isn’t just a virtue; it’s a strategy. Think about it: how often does someone’s simple act of consideration completely change your day? Now multiply that effect across your employees, team members, and clients. Kindness is the ripple that creates waves of trust and loyalty in business. But here’s the kicker—it’s not about being a pushover.

Being kind to people and tough on issues is the balance that separates amateurs from pros. You can empathize with someone’s struggles without compromising on what’s right. Let’s say a team member misses a deadline. Kindness means you don’t humiliate them; instead, you dig into why it happened and how to fix it. Toughness means making it clear the deadline matters. See the distinction?

The biggest mistake people make? Confusing kindness with weakness. They avoid hard conversations or let mistakes slide to “be nice.” That’s not kindness—it’s avoidance. True kindness requires courage. It’s looking someone in the eye and saying, “This isn’t working, but let’s figure it out together.”

Here’s a tool to keep kindness front and center: ask yourself before every interaction, “How would I want to be treated here?” It sounds simple, but it works.

So, the next time you’re faced with a tough call, lead with kindness. It’s not just good business—it’s unforgettable.

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Mitch Jackson | links