Why Be Kind? The Business Case for Character.

Data published in Harvard Business Review about a KRW study reveals that CEOs with high character ratings achieved an average return on assets of 9.35% over two years. That is nearly five times higher than the 1.93% ROA for CEOs with low character ratings.(1)

This coaching business is a question: Why Be Kind?

The question is meant to be a Koan. It is intended to cause you to consider leadership character—because character makes personal and business sense. (2)

Specifically, the KRW study tracked the performance of companies whose CEOs were rated high by their employees on four moral principles: integrity, responsibility, forgiveness, and compassion (1). Others have called these principles leadership traits.

Being kind is dramatically different from being nice. Nice is often about being polite and avoiding necessary conflict. Rather, kindness incorporates the leadership traits above. And it is very hard work.

The Courage to Stand Alone

Part of the hard work of kindness involves courage. A significant portion of that courage requires the capacity to stand alone: to deliver hard news, demand better results, and support employees as they learn.

It takes a risk to stand alone and forgive, show empathy, make the right decision even when others disagree, and serve others in humility by taking the spotlight off yourself.

It is easy to live in the "affiliation club"—where you have a full round of support from others who agree with you. But empathy, responsibility, and humility often do not happen within a comfortable support group. Coaching with me helps you grow in your comfort to stand alone.

Going Internal

For the first steps in coaching, I ask you to review your personal interests, your career and personal goals, your values, and your beliefs. It is essential to go internal. What is it that you want?

Emerging from that step, clients often determine there is significant overlap between inward beliefs and current job tasks. When that happens, you are able to bring more of yourself to the task at hand. The muscles we need to stand alone are developed by finding a firm foundation within ourselves first.

It may seem paradoxical, but if you align with your own interior world, you are much freer to interact with others in a non-reactive way. Steady in yourself, you care significantly less about what others think. You welcome disagreement.

You were brought here to accomplish certain things. If you are doing those—personally and professionally—you are able to block out the noise. You are able to listen to opposing viewpoints, have empathy, and form collegial relationships even where strong differences exist.

A Case in Point

A friend of mine led a business unit with consistently strong financial results—profit, innovation, and revenue. In the midst of a downturn, he led the team to acquire approximately 70% of the national budget for their specific tech niche. However, the parent organization reorganized and made a plan which rendered his role obsolete.

He was demoralized, deflated, and depressed. But a friend approached him and asked: “Didn’t you accomplish what you wanted here—both in terms of leadership and personal financial goals?”

“Yes,” he thought. With that confirmation in hand, he found a new center. Remembering his own internal measure of success, he returned to lead the team through the transition with the same empathy, ethics, kindness, and financial results.

About Me

I have led revenue teams worldwide for 35 years, closing over $600M in revenue, leading 10 new market entrances, and preparing two companies for exit. Additionally, as a coach, I hold advanced degrees in theology and psychology.

I am uniquely qualified to support you by giving you an opportunity to confirm your inner goals so you can recommit to leading with character. Because leading with character produces exponentially better financial results—and leaves behind the mark you were asked to leave.

To get started click the Schedule a 15 minute call button on my home page to get started.

(1). https://hbr.org/2015/04/measuring-the-return-on-character

(2). The popular Western understanding sees kōan as referring to an unanswerable question or a meaningless or absurd statement. However, in Zen practice, a kōan is not meaningless, and not a riddle or a puzzle. Teachers do expect students to present an appropriate response when asked about a kōan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koan