Nicky Gumbel on Kindness

Some profound words of wisdom below from Nicky Gumbel (pictured) on kindness – I find the words very powerful. Somehow or other words like ‘kindness’ seem a bit taboo in the hard, rational and (still sadly) 'macho' world of management.

My own feeling has always been that if we focused a bit more on words like kindness and a bit less on words like profit then there are win-win-win situations to be had. But then I’ve always been considered a ‘soft’ manager – a title I like because actually – soft is hard.

Anyway, here are Nicky’s words – please enjoy:

For over ten years now, Californian Radio DJ Brent Farris has been sending his listeners in Santa Rosa out to do ‘random acts of kindness’. They include tipping the person at the McDonald’s drive-through window with a hundred-dollar bill and paying for parking tickets for strangers. These random acts of kindness are selfless acts performed by people wishing to assist or cheer one another up. As people tap into their own generous human spirit and share kindness with one another, they discover for themselves the power of kindness to effect positive change both in their lives and in the lives of people around them. When kindness is expressed, healthy relationships are created, community connections are nourished, and people are inspired to pass kindness on.

Steve Sjogren wrote a book called "Conspiracy of Kindness." He started a church in Cincinnati, Ohio, that has grown rapidly to an average attendance of 7,500 in just fifteen years. Their motto is ‘Small things done with great love are changing the world.’ They have discovered the power and impact of ‘showing God’s love in practical ways.’