Huge Announcement & Kindness Can Save Your Team—Here’s How

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Hey Full Potential Zoners!

First off, I have a HUGE, HUGE announcement - check it out here, it will be worth it!

Now on to today’s EPIC newsletter!

The most effective leadership tool? It’s not what you think -

Without kindness:

Collaboration breaks down.

Turnover rates spike.

Stress levels rise.

Teams struggle.

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By making kindness part of your leadership, you create:

A culture of respect.

Positive interactions.

Inclusive communication.

Today we are going to help leaders master this by using:

‘The Power of Kindness'. 

Let’s dive in!

Additional Tips for Leaders

1. Model Vulnerability

   • Leaders should be the first to express vulnerability, showing that it's okay to share emotions and concerns.

     • By doing this, you create a space where employees feel safe expressing themselves, creating open dialogue and emotional support​.

2. Give Employees Space for Empathy

   • Reimagine leadership roles to reduce non-human tasks, allowing managers more time to mentor and be empathetic.

     • Encourage leaders to focus on their teams' well-being and personal growth without becoming overwhelmed​.

3. Reward Acts of Kindness

   • Publicly acknowledge employees who demonstrate kindness in the workplace.

     • Reinforcing positive behaviors through recognition encourages others to participate in creating a kind culture​.

4. Create Opportunities for Personal Connection

   • Rather than elaborate team-building activities, focus on small, meaningful interactions that build trust.

     • Like acknowledging life events or offering support during tough times​.

5. Encourage Self-Compassion in Managers

   • Leaders should practice self-compassion to prevent burnout.

     • When managers take care of their own mental health, they are better equipped to support their teams with genuine kindness

Tips for Individuals in Daily Life

1. Start with Small Acts

   • Simple, daily acts like holding the door for someone, offering a smile, or writing a quick note of appreciation can have a powerful ripple effect on those around you​.

2. Be Present When Listening

   • When someone is speaking to you, give them your full attention—no distractions.

     • Active listening shows that you genuinely value their thoughts and concerns​.

3. Offer Help Without Being Asked

   • Sometimes, the most impactful way to show kindness is by stepping in when someone is struggling without waiting for them to ask.

     • A small gesture can lighten someone’s load immensely.

4. Practice Thoughtfulness

   • Consider how your words and actions affect others.

     • Thoughtful gestures, like remembering someone’s preference or checking in on their well-being, create lasting positive impressions.

5. Pay Kindness Forward

   • Make it a habit to pass on acts of kindness to others in your community or workplace.

     • Whether through volunteering or simple gestures, paying kindness forward strengthens bonds and encourages a supportive environment​.

Active Listening

A team I worked with was experiencing communication breakdowns.

There was frustration because people felt they weren’t being heard during meetings.

As a result, decisions were being made without the full input of the team, leading to mistakes, rework, and growing tension among team members.

I identified that the core issue was not what was being said but how well (or poorly) people were listening.

The team had fallen into a habit of distracted listening—checking phones, thinking about their own responses, or interrupting others.

Here’s how I implemented Active Listening to solve the problem:

Created 'Listening Guidelines'

I introduced a simple set of rules to ensure active listening during meetings. These included no interruptions, no phone use, and maintaining eye contact when someone was speaking. Every team member had to fully focus on the speaker before responding.

Role-Playing Exercises

To get everyone comfortable with this change, I ran a few short role-playing sessions. Team members practiced listening to a colleague’s concern, then summarizing it back to them to ensure they had fully understood. This simple exercise highlighted just how often people had been missing key points before.

Encouraged Open-Ended Questions

I trained the team to ask more open-ended questions when responding to each other. Instead of jumping in with their own opinions, they learned to say things like, “Can you tell me more about what you meant by that?” This encouraged deeper conversations and more thoughtful responses.

Result

After a few weeks of putting these practices into place, the team noticed a major shift.

Meetings became more productive, as everyone felt heard and respected.

The quality of the decisions improved, and conflicts were reduced because misunderstandings were being resolved on the spot.

Team members started listening to each other fully, which helped rebuild trust and collaboration.

They learned that being fully present in conversations made all the difference.

Here's how you can make it real over the next 4 days:

Day 1: Observation and Awareness

• Choose one lesson you want to work on this week.

• Pay attention to situations where the lesson you chose can be applied.

  • For example, If you chose Inclusive Communication, observe whether people in your team or personal life are being left out of conversations.

  • If you’re working on Supportive Guidance, notice moments where a colleague or friend seems to need advice or help.

• Be mindful of group interactions and individual behavior.

  • Often, moments that need kindness or support aren’t verbalized.

• Write down at least three opportunities you notice throughout the day.

  • Write down at least three moments where you could have applied your lesson today.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today, I want to observe how I can apply [chosen lesson] in my daily life. What are some specific things I should watch for to recognize opportunities for [insert lesson]? Help me identify examples where this lesson might be most needed in the workplace or in my personal life.”

Day 2: Small Action

• Take one small action today based on your observation from Day 1.

  • If you’re working on Listening Actively, have a conversation where you focus entirely on listening, without interruptions.

  • If you chose Respecting Boundaries, politely let someone know that you need personal space, or respect a colleague’s need for time alone.

• Don’t worry about perfection. The goal is to start small—take a single step to practice your chosen lesson.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today, I want to take a small action to practice [chosen lesson]. Give me simple, practical ways to apply this lesson. What can I do in my conversations or interactions to make it more meaningful?"

Day 3: Consistency and Follow-Through

• Continue practicing your lesson, but expand its application today.

  • If you’re working on Sharing Credit, make a conscious effort to give recognition to more than one person on your team for their contributions.

  • If you’re practicing Encouraging Positive Interactions, engage in or facilitate a conversation where you help diffuse tension and create a positive outcome for everyone involved.

• Watch how your actions impact others.

  • Are people responding positively to your effort?

    • Take note of small wins.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today, I want to expand my practice of [chosen lesson] and use it consistently. Give me ideas on how I can repeat my actions from yesterday but in a more impactful way. What should I do to make sure I follow through on this?"

Day 4: Reflection and Planning

• Reflect on how practicing your lesson has affected your interactions.

  • Did people respond well?

  • What did you learn from the experience?

    • If you chose Simple Acts of Kindness, reflect on how small gestures, like holding the door for someone or saying thank you, created positive moments.

  • Write down what worked and make a plan to continue practicing this lesson regularly in both your personal and professional life.

• Choose one action you can easily continue doing over the next few weeks, whether it's recognizing others for their work or making sure everyone feels included in meetings.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today, I want to reflect on how applying [chosen lesson] has worked for me. Help me reflect on what worked well and how I can improve. Also, what should I do to keep practicing this lesson in the coming weeks?"

Kindness is not reserved for grand gestures—it’s in the words you choose, the time you give, and the attention you pay.

In every interaction, you have the power to create a ripple effect that can shift someone’s day or even their life.

Every day is a chance to make this choice, no matter how small the action may seem.

Kindness costs nothing, but its impact is priceless.

Until next week and with lots of love,

Justin

This Week’s Growth Recommendations

Book To Read:  

"KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work" by Graham Allcott (see it here)

TED Talk to Watch

"The Value of Kindness at Work" by James Rhee (see it here)

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