What feels abundant right now is trauma, stress, and burnout. Heading up an Aging Services organization during this time has been no easy task. At AGE-u-cate, we have tried to offer nuggets of support and encouragement to help infuse some hope in what feels like a long nightmare.
With so much out of our control these days, there is something we can control, and that is how we relate to each other. Kindness should always be a part of a leadership philosophy, but when we feel pushed to the edge, kindness might take a backseat.
Kindness can be defined as the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. Seems like a fairly simple and straightforward way to interact with others. In fact, ABC news reported last year on research that informs us that being kind pays off. Being kind makes us feel better and healthier, and is wired into our survival. Oxford anthropologist Oliver Curry believes that we are kind because under the right circumstances we all benefit from kindness.
