In principle, it’s better to be kind than to be right. The ego in me wants me to be right. The peace seeker in me wants me to be kind. The word kind is related to the word kin. They both come from the same root, kin, meaning family. To be kind is to treat people like family, as if we were intimately connected over time.
Practical Tip: To contribute to good group decisions I feed the peace seeker within, keep the ego in check, and strive for kindness. I am more interested in my healthy relations with fellow decision makers over the long run than I am in getting my way in the short run. I give unconditionally without expectation of return, free of strings. True kindness is not only free, it’s priceless.
– Craig Freshley
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Thanks for your comment, Shep. I’m going to try and carry it around with me today. Great to hear from you.
Great reminder. Not only does my “peace keeper” want to be kind, I believe my basic nature is kind. Just like yours and everyone’s. So why not let it show more! Might become a habit — even more satisfying than being right!
What a great message, unfortunately, there is too much ego in most people to enable kindness to dominate.
It has always been my inclination to be kind over being “right”. But, I never thought anyone else valued kindness, and in the world of work, I thought if one was kind, you were thought of as a “whimp.” So it was very affirming to read your tip endorsing kindness. Thank you.
I like the tip on Kindness. Many folks don’t have the ability to be kind in
the face of stress. It is a learned response to rationalize and justify one’s own opinion. However it can be learned easily. The dividends are great, there is nothing that pays big in my book than someone who is kind whether they agree with my opinion or not in a group.
Overall, our society undervalues the positive impacts of choosing kindness.
I can relate and truly believe this to be true.