Kindness Is Good Business

I’m reading Adam Grant’s book, “Give and Take.” (Yes, it’s taken me five years to get to it. #beenkindabusyoverhere) It’s based on his research on why people succeed or fail in their professions. I was drawn to it because I’m increasingly convinced the paradigm for succeeding in business I learned (work hard, be so good at what you do they can’t ignore you, and take as much as you can get) is outdated. Social media makes the business world a small one. It’s such a key factor in employment that if all you do is take, word quickly gets around and no one wants to hire you nor work with you. So how can we succeed in business without really trying? Kindness. For me, here is what kindness means, what it doesn’t mean, and what I hope the results will be.

What it means: Creating win-win situations for both my clients and me. Businesses are made up of people. These people aren’t just my customers. They’re my friends, so I should treat them like it. Granted, they may not be my phone-call-at-four-in-the-morning friends, but they are my we-can-go-further-together-than-on-our-own friends. What does this look like in real life?

Asking questions and listening to the answers instead of forming responses in my head through the filter of “How do I make this work for me?”

Finding out what their goals are and how they want to reach them. Is there something I can do to help, even if it’s not a product or service I offer?

Paying attention to issues they have with my product or service. Conflict happens. I can use the opportunity to provide excellent customer service and strengthen the relationship.

Self-effacing. Not only do I have to be okay with not getting credit for my ideas, but also not mind if I’m giving more than I’m getting from the transaction.

Kindness means being available, staying genuinely interested in the health of the client’s business, and proving that I care.

What it doesn’t mean: Being a pushover. Learning how to politely say, “No, my product/service is not free. I won’t give it away just to keep your business and you probably wouldn’t want it, trust it, or find value in it if it was free.” Kindness doesn’t mean nice guys finish last. Helping others whether or not I benefit from the situation doesn’t mean I can’t have personal success. My clients don’t have to suffer in order for me to benefit. In fact, customers are attracted by generosity and tell their colleagues about it. Kindness is contagious. It takes time to pay off, but business is a marathon not a sprint.

Results: When I demonstrate that my client’s success is my success, I get customer retention and referrals. Kindness grows exponentially. It not only leads to more kindness, but also manifests itself in creativity, trust, enthusiasm, patience, and goodwill. As a pleasant side effect, these qualities bleed over into my personal life. Need any more reasons why you should be kind? Be kind because you can.

Please share your stories of how using kindness as a business strategy works for you in the comments section below.