Kindness and Generosity in Management – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #931

Kindness and Generosity in Management – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #931

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #931 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing your contributions here.

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Being kind is certainly better than being unkind. In personal relationships and philanthropy, people may go overboard in being kind, and are not judged. However, when it comes to management and business, kindness is viewed differently. 

Our conventional image of the owner boss is the guy who stands with a pipe in mouth, hands in pocket and a stern look at the face. We have heard real life success stories of too many people who were successful because they were tough. These include kings and queens, sailors and adventurers, warriors and conquerors, and founders of large corporations. Apparently, their biggest virtues were dogged determination, and unwavering stances. Henry Ford allowed manufacturing of black color cars only. Once, when he was too much cajoled to consider other colors, he famously said, “I don’t mind making cars of any color, as long as they are black”. 

Recent literature is putting greater emphasis on kindness, generosity, and humility. Collin’s Level 5 Leadership, Covey’s seven habits, and Maxwell’s Leadership Hierarchy talks about humility and compassion. This became more mainstream after the financial meltdown of 2008, in which billions were wiped out and thousands of people lost homes, jobs, and income. 

Kindness and generosity are portrayed as essential qualities for effective management, contributing to a positive workplace culture, employee satisfaction, and overall organizational success. However, recommending that everyone be kind in business settings is still vague about where and how it should be applied, and how its impact may be measured.

Before we go into more detail, let us look at some research on kindness and generosity. It has been carried out in both Western and Eastern countries to see if cultural differences strongly come into play.

Look at this scenario. You are sitting with an unknown person at a place. Someone comes and gives you some money and tells you that you spend it in any way you like. The other person is looking at you, but it is entirely up to you to share your bounty with him or not. He is not related to you, and you may never see him again. It looks like he could probably use some money, but he is not in dire need visibly. You have the choice to split money with him anyway; 50-50, 25-75, or give him 100 percent. What will the other person perceive about your kindness in any of these transactions? Research shows that his positive impression increases when you increase share from 25 percent to 50 percent, but it stays the same even when you give 100 percent. The same result has been obtained in several studies designed around this concept. As the amount you give increases from nothing to equal split, the other person regards you more positively. So, it seems, giving half is optimal.

Let us look at how do kindness and generosity play in the work settings. 

Empathy and Understanding – Kindness in management involves empathizing with employees, understanding their needs, concerns, and perspectives. Managers who show empathy create a supportive environment where employees feel valued and heard.

Recognition and Appreciation – Generosity can be demonstrated through recognizing and appreciating employees' contributions, achievements, and efforts. Acknowledging their hard work develops a sense of belonging and motivates them to perform at their best.

Support and Development – Kindness is also reflected in providing support and opportunities for employees' professional and personal development. This can include offering mentorship, training programs, or flexible work arrangements to accommodate their needs.

While kindness and generosity are important, it's essential for managers to maintain a balance and avoid overindulgence. Excessive leniency or generosity can lead to complacency, entitlement, or exploitation of goodwill. Managers should apply kindness and generosity consistently but also ensure they maintain accountability, fairness, and professionalism in their interactions and decisions.

Nadav Klein of INSEAD (link at the end) argues that others really want us to be decent. So long as we treat people according to the basic standards of fairness and acceptable conduct, a be nice to them, we quickly gain their approval and goodwill. In contrast, when we give of ourselves so much that we undermine our goals and situation, our reputation does not increase proportionately.

The impact of balanced kindness may be measured from the following parameters.

Employee Feedback – Regularly soliciting feedback from employees through surveys, one-on-one meetings, or anonymous suggestion boxes can help gauge the impact of kindness and generosity on morale, engagement, and job satisfaction.

Retention Rates – High employee retention rates often indicate a positive workplace culture where employees feel valued and supported. Tracking turnover rates can provide insights into the effectiveness of management practices, including kindness and generosity.

Performance Metrics – Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) such as productivity, quality of work, and teamwork can help assess the impact of kindness on employee performance and collaboration.

Organizational Climate Surveys – Conducting periodic organizational climate surveys can measure employees' perceptions of fairness, trust in leadership, and overall satisfaction, providing valuable data on the effectiveness of kindness-oriented management practices.

Kindness and generosity are powerful tools for building strong relationships, buidling employee engagement, and driving organizational success. While it's important for managers to demonstrate these qualities consistently, they should also strike a balance and ensure accountability and fairness in their approach. By measuring the impact of kindness through various means, managers can continuously assess and improve their management practices for the benefit of both employees and the organization as a whole.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intention to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, however, it happens unintentionally, I offer my sincere regrets.

References:

https://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-organisations/lets-get-specific-about-kindness-business?utm_source=INSEAD+Knowledge&utm_campaign=1297b8ac8a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_01_11_01_40&utm_medium=email