No one wakes up in the morning hoping to go to work to be met by a monster of a boss. One of the hardest things to even comprehend is how people with power can be so unkind to others. Especially to the very people who can help them become as productive as they need to be in their division or organization in general. In America, over 70% of people hate their jobs. There are many reasons that have been stated over the years in various polls why people hate their jobs. Some have included lack of fulfillment, being overworked, being underpaid, unappreciative supervisors, embarassment over company reputation and the list goes on. Obviously, most people stay at the jobs they hate because they can't find a new one or lack the courage it takes to leave "the devil they know for the one they don't know!"
One thing that has been mentioned, that boggles my mind for the need of it having to be mentioned is kindness! If you are a leader, you really should care about being kind to the people who are your peers and especially to those you supervise. This article mentions how kindness is actually a critical factor in effective managers. As a consultant to organizations seeking to engage their employees more in an effort to stop turnover and increase productivity, I have seen first hand how many unaware leaders are at the helm of many companies. If you find yourself in a position of leadership, you need your people to want to work with you and after you've invested time and money into employees, you don't want them to leave you quickly. Many employees or volunteers stay less than a year in organizations that do not display kindness. Leaders can use simple rules to win the hearts and minds of their people — with huge returns. Making small adjustments such as listening, smiling, sharing and thanking others more often can have a huge impact. Caring enough to create a high trust culture would do amazing things for your organization as well. Go ahead. Be kind. It may just change everything! |