In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, Linda Cohen — expert, author, and speaker — brings kindness back to the forefront of the workplace conversation. A hard-hitting pandemic spurred an initial, unexpected rise in kindness. But before long, we settled back into our old ways. According to Linda, it’s time for us to recognize the power — and economy — of kindness. Listen in as Linda Cohen shares touching stories and drives home the idea that kindness affects everyone and everything it touches, even our business’s bottom line.
GUEST AT A GLANCE
We welcome Linda Cohen back to the podcast. Nationally recognized “kindness expert,” speaker, and consultant, Linda is well-versed in how to incorporate kindness into workplace culture. Author of two books, Linda is passionate about seeing leaders and employees walk in kindness, ultimately resulting in business success.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR
🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
THE INSPIRATION
Linda Cohen had spent a lot of time speaking to businesses and associations about how to cultivate kindness in the workplace and why it’s so important. And then the pandemic hit. Through such trying times, Linda realized that kindness was trending upward, but not for long. She explained, “It felt like there were so many people reaching out when we were all so uncertain about everything that was happening. But as the months went on, it felt like that shifted, and all of the sudden, we were back to fear and anxiety and scarcity and overwhelm.”
This shift was the catalyst for her latest book, The Economy of Kindness: How Kindness Transforms Your Bottom Line. “I sat down on December 1st and started writing, and I had decided not to be afraid of what I wanted to share — the stories and ideas that I’ve heard and the different things that I’ve seen — because if I Googled ‘kindness’ in those early months, there were stories on national news, on local news, in neighborhoods, and in communities, and it just felt like everybody was sharing how we were supporting each other.” These are the stories that Linda Cohen felt were worth sharing, especially when acts of kindness are particularly hard to find.
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
The Culture of Kindness
“In the Pacific Northwest, we have a company called Les Schwab, which is a tire company, an auto repair company. Whenever I’ve asked audiences to name a company that has a culture of kindness, they always mention Les Schwab because their customer service is amazing. They run out to your car. They have ads about servicing you, and people know that they’ll help you even if you didn’t buy your product from them. So they really had this reputation of a culture of kindness. And reputation is one of the things I talk about in my program. Kindness is so important in your workplace because if your reputation gets affected, that will affect your bottom line.”
But What’s the Cost?
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a change that costs a lot of money. It’s a cultural opportunity for you and your organization to think about what would elevate the inclusivity — the fact that people get seen, that they feel like they’re part of a team, that they’re a part of something bigger — so that when people think about their workplace, it isn’t just a workplace. It’s really like my extended family.”
What’s Holding You Back?
“I was hired to speak to a local fire district, and I knew I wanted some way to engage them. I asked them to answer this question on their phones: what holds you back from being kind? And the answers were consistent over most of my engagements, from the fire department to other speaking opportunities I’ve had. Stress. Overwhelm. Time.”
Leading With Kindness
“Communication is essential. I think the communication from leadership needs to be supportive — listening and encouraging employees to share what’s going on. I heard some great stories about employees whose jobs could have been cut, but instead, their manager allowed them to think out of the box and to do something a little different — they let them sit at the table to talk about how they could weather this experience together. That really meant a lot to employees. And then I would also just make sure leaders are doing a lot of self-care and do it publicly. That allows your team to take care of themselves because you are the role model for that.”
Your Bottom Line
“I’m sure all of your listeners have heard a story about a company that didn’t behave with the utmost kindness. And today, we have to expect that a negative story will get picked up and told to thousands of people, even hundreds of thousands of people. So, obviously, neglecting to act with kindness will affect your bottom line.”
LEARN MORE
If you’re ready to become a kindness catalyst, check out Linda’s website, lindacohenconsulting.com, or connect with her on LinkedIn.