Kindness Killers

To communicate with kindness allows us to accomplish many things.  With the fruit of the Spirit in our lives we can more easily:

To solve problems, accomplish goals, develop a plan, work as a team, manage a group of workers, successfully parent a child, engender intimacy with a spouse, influence another person, sell a product, get the girl you want, or be happy.

“Is good Management Anything More Than Good Manners?”

 “Yes, but not much!”

As a child I was taught to be quiet and listen to people as they spoke. It was bad manners to interrupt them. I was also taught to say thanks for assistance and please when I asked someone to do something for me. It was being cordial and we were expected to treat others well even if we disagreed with them. There were many times when we were disciplined for failing to be kind to a grumpy person or to show bad manners to a sales clerk or waitress.

Good management, leadership and teaching all require good manners. The basis of good manners is kindness. Unkind people are hard to deal with and generally fail at influencing other people. There are several ways we can stop good interactions. I call them Kindness Killers. In my childhood it was being rude.

• Interrupt before the person is finished speaking

• Refuse to pay attention

• Respond with, “Yes, but…”

• Say, “We tried it back in 75 and it didn’t work…”

• Look away

• Speak to another person (cross talk)

• Make a disagreeable non-verbal movement such as scowling, rolling your eyes, or waving your hand

• Call the person names

• Attack the person’s character

• Associate the person with a disreputable group

• Make a disparaging remark about the person’s looks, dress or demeanor

• Go off on a rabbit trail tangent

But being patient and listening quietly while a friend or co-worker shares will bring many benefits. (I didn't say it was easy!) 

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