My good friend and client, John Daly, published a blog about kindness this past Monday. I liked it so much that, with his permission, I wanted to share it with you. It goes to the heart of unconditional love for me. Being kind in this world will make all the difference in how others will treat you going forward. Read John's blog, and tell me what you think.
A Prerequisite Quality for Success
You wouldn’t think that kindness would have a lot to do with success. But, one of the most successful and beloved film critics of our time believed it was an essential part of his world, and his success. We lost Roger Ebert last week, but his words really resonated when I read them today. They got me to thinking that, in the long run, it’s the good guys who finish on top, contrary to the belief of some.
In simple form, kindness is the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic. It is the tendency to be forgiving. The question has been posed: Is kindness a quality or an ability? I think it can be both. Some people are just born with an inner quality of kindness. Others of us develop it through effort.
Why do I believe that kindness is a prerequisite to success? Kindness and likability go hand-in-hand. And, people are drawn to those qualities. I can name hundreds of likable, kind people who are huge successes – Oprah, Tom Hanks, JK Rowling, Justin Timberlake. If you do a search on the Internet and type in “famous kind people,” those are a few of the names that pop up. These people are loved and admired the world over. Are supposedly rude celebrities successful? Many are…but would you rather be loved or be the object of amusement because of your rude behavior?
The majority of us are drawn to those who are kind. But why? Let’s look at the qualities of kind/likable people.
- They maintain a positive, upbeat attitude.
- They listen, actively.
- They are fun to be around and have a sense of humor.
- They are friendly and carry a warm smile for everyone!
- They admit mistakes and apologize sincerely.
- They take a genuine interest in others.
- They are authentic.
- They have the ability to make those around them feel better about themselves when they are with them! (It is widely rumored that President Bill Clinton has such a quality.)
- They respect others through their gestures, body language, words and responses, and consideration of others.
- They show concern for the comfort and need of others.
- They give their time freely and don’t rush anyone when spending time with them.
If it is important to you to draw people to you, and you weren’t one of the lucky ones born with inner kindness, draw upon the list above to develop it through effort. If you do, you will notice a difference in the people around you and how they respond to you. Put these qualities into your job search success toolkit and put them to work on your way to success! Watch the video below for an idea of where you can start to develop your kindness qualities.
To learn more about John Daly, President of The Key Class, and all the good work he is doing in the world, visit www.thekeyclass.com.
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