(Make 2023 a Year Committed to Goals that Matter)
Leaders have every reason to be excited about a new year, right?
That depends on your glass. Is it half empty or half full?
If you are reading this, you've chosen to look at 2023 through the lens of learning, opportunity, and growth. These are solid foundations for personal well-being, employee development, and healthy company culture.
Great news - I'm NOT going to talk about increasing steps, decreasing carbs, and managing screen time. We've received enough of this advice thus far!
The 3 game-changers are those that we can't see yet certainly feel the difference when embraced:
1. Kindness
Kindness - it's the simple act of being friendly, supportive, and considerate of yourself and others. Think about people in your life whom you admire for their kind spirit that projects even when their own life situations may be challenging.
Receiving a compliment, words of recognition, and praise can boost an individual's self-worth, improve self-esteem, and trigger positive emotions for the giver and receiver.
When people receive an act of kindness, they pay it forward to others. This leads to a culture of generosity in an organization. In a landmark study(https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-00697-003) analyzing more than 3,500 business units with more than 50,000 individuals, researchers found that acts of courtesy, helping, and praise was related to the core goals of organizations.
Aging service providers are in the business of kindness when it comes right down to it. Despite the extraordinary stressors that accompany caring for others, consider kindness's critical role in improving the quality of life for employees and those you serve.
2. Empathy
Empathy is understanding another person's thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It is about accepting other people's perspectives. We've heard the term "walking in another person's shoes". As leaders, we set the stage for a culture where empathy and acceptance are grounded in team building, and thus empathetic relationships become a cultural foundation.
Active listening, having an interest in others, and respecting differences of opinion are empathy-building skills. In addition, recognizing the feelings of others without judgment is a core component of empathy.
Leaders who practice empathy with employees set the stage for others. It is a domino effect! And as the culture of kindness and empathy takes hold, team members feel increasingly valued as employees and as individuals.
3. Compassion
Compassion is the third game-changer for transforming company cultures. It is the action behind empathy and kindness. For example, offering to cover a shift for an employee facing family challenges is an act of compassion. Aging service providers are in the business of showing compassion to those they serve, which for staff can often lead to compassion fatigue. Like burnout, it is often characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion. Fatigue burnout can negatively affect our ability to practice kindness, empathy, and compassion.
Embracing kindness, empathy, and compassion in the workplace may seem lofty, but these acts are game-changers in developing healthy workplaces. Employees want more than a paycheck and vacation days. Being a part of a caring team takes nurturing, caring leadership, and a commitment to creating a culture that values the things that really matter.
Embrace this new year with new opportunities to learn and grow from each other!
Learn more about AGEucate's company culture here: AGEucate's Company Culture
