Kindness Challenge Archives - Worktalk

Kindness Challenge #5. Pause before posting.

worktalk — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:31:23 +0000

As citizens and friends, we can strive to stay above the political fray and to be the better person. Let’s commit to expressing kindness in all our communications, whether we agree with others or not.

An MIT study revealed that misinformation spreads six times faster than truth. The study, quoted in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, highlights the danger posed by seeing something online and reflexively reposting it, or by hearing something that sounds true and repeating it.

The risk of spreading misinformation is grave, yet the risk of crushing goodwill is just as serious. Family relationships have been ravaged and friendships have been devastated by people posting on social media or family WhatsApp groups without thinking of how the message will be received. Is it worth losing someone you love because you want to make a point online?

Before sending or posting a message, pause. Check your facts. Check your bias. Remember that living, breathing fellow human beings are going to read your words through their own complex filters of feeling and belief. Then ask yourself the questions I raised in a previous Kindness Challenge: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

After pausing, you may find that you don’t need to publish that post after all. As Shakespeare wrote in King Henry the Fourth, “Discretion is the better part of valor.”

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Kindness Challenge #4: Smile at strangers.

worktalk — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 23:44:54 +0000

Now that November 3 has passed, some people are happy and some people are unhappy. As citizens and friends, we can strive to stay above the fray and to be the better person.
From now until the end of November, let’s commit to expressing kindness in all our communications, whether we agree with others or not.
Every Monday until November 30, I will post one idea from Worktalk that may help you keep a friendly, even tone in your messages.

Here’s today’s tip: Smile at strangers.

Whatever may happen in the weeks to come, there is one guarantee: The sun will rise each morning and we will have to get along with the people around us.
How can we do this in peace? If you are one of the happy ones, don’t gloat. If you are one of the unhappy, don’t gripe. Let the process take its course. We are all Americans and the more we can come together, the sooner our country will function in health.

National unity? It feels a bit like “world peace”. What can I do to create national unity?

Smile at strangers. Even if you are wearing a mask, they will feel your goodwill. If you happen to know that the person voted differently than you did, smile even brighter. Be the first to light up with a friendly expression the moment you pass someone in the supermarket aisle or as you walk down your street. You can even smile at other drivers from the cocoon of your car.

Smiling is infectious. It’s an infection we all want to catch.

Worktalk prepares teams to write clearly, confidently, and kindly amid the pressures of constant communication. To learn more, contact lizd@worktalk.com

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The November Kindness Challenge #3: Disagree respectfully

worktalk — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 17:59:21 +0000

November 3 is here. As we face today and in the coming weeks, many of us may feel stressed and emotional. As trusted advisors and friends, our job is to stay above the fray and strive to be the better person.
From now until the end of November, let’s commit to expressing kindness in all our communications, whether we agree with the other person or not.
Every Monday until November 30, I will post one idea from Worktalk that may help you keep a friendly, even tone in your messages.

Here’s today’s tip: Disagree Respectfully.
“It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races,” said Mark Twain.

We learn through dialogue with those who see things differently. Disagreement is at the heart of excellence and innovation. So why has it become a dirty word in 2020?

People who hold different views from ours are not members of an alien species sent down to destroy life as we know it. They are fellow humans who view the world differently – perhaps very differently – than we do.

The coming week will challenge many of us with the urge to either gloat or revolt. Neither will carry our nation forward to healing.

So, whoever becomes the next president, let’s agree in advance that we will relate to our fellow citizens with respect – even if they voted for the wrong candidate.

Worktalk prepares teams to write clearly, confidently, and kindly amid the pressures of constant communication. Call us when managers have become communications bottlenecks, people misunderstand each others’ messages, and errors embarrass your brand.

For any inquiries or comments, contact Liz Danziger at lizd@worktalk.com.

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The November Kindness Challenge #2. Ask 4 Questions.

worktalk — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 17:55:22 +0000

As we approach November 3 and beyond, many of us may feel stressed and emotional. As trusted advisors and friends, our job is to stay above the fray and strive to be the better person.
From now until the end of November, let’s commit to expressing kindness in all our communications, whether we agree with the other person or not.
Every Monday until November 30, I will post one idea from Worktalk that may help you keep a friendly, even tone in your messages.

Here’s today’s tip:Before speaking or sending, ask yourself:
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?
Is this the right time?

Loosely attributed to Buddhist scriptures, this set of questions guides us in communicating kindly. It is possible to say something true and necessary, such as that a person is being fired, and still communicate kindly. Even bad news can be conveyed in a kind and timely manner.
As we plow into election week, let’s remember that if we cannot authentically answer yes to the questions above, it might be best to practice “restraint of pen and tongue.”

Please share this post on all your networks to remind friends that kindness counts. To be sure that you receive future tips, contact lizd@worktalk.com.

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The November Kindness Challenge #1. Empathize

worktalk — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 17:50:25 +0000

Here’s today’s tip:
Empathize: Put yourself in the other person’s place.
Tempting as it is to assume that the way we see the world is the only possible right way, we benefit from remembering that other people have their stories, too
When a person expresses an opinion or thought you find maddening, pause for a moment. Please take off your Virtual-Reality headset and put on theirs so that you see the world the way they see it. Once you look at the world through their eyes, you might understand their actions a little better. You don’t have to agree with them, but see it from their side.

Worktalk prepares teams to write confidently, clearly, and kindly amid the pressures of constant communication. Contact us if you want to strengthen credibility, avoid bottlenecks, and wield the power of words to generate your desired results.

If you have another suggestion for kinder communication, feel free to reach out to Liz Danziger at lizd@worktalk.com

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