Leading With Kindness
How Small Acts Can Create Big Changes
Last week I had the opportunity to attend an awesome conference called the “Kindness Summit”. It was put on by an organization called; One Kind Act A Day, which was founded by Khosrow Semnani in Salt Lake City, Utah with the belief that small, consistent acts of kindness can lead to meaningful change in communities and beyond. Their main focus is to inspire individuals to commit to performing at least one act of kindness each day, creating a ripple effect that lays a foundation for a more compassionate and peaceful world. Their efforts have sparked transformation in schools, businesses, churches, and even prisons.
Anthony Lambatos, Chester Elton, and Jeremy Edmonds at the Kindness Summit
Throughout the day, we heard from amazing speakers, heard inspiring stories, and connected with some of the most kind and welcoming people in the world. I left feeling energized and motivated to spread more kindness into the world. Here are three takeaways:
1 | Build Allies and Alliances.
In business and in life, it can be easy to get caught up in competition and focus on winning by keeping others down. The presidents of Brigham Young University and the University of Utah spoke together at the conference. For many years these two higher education institutions have had a bitter rivalry with one another, and very little collaboration has taken place. So when BYU announced they were going to start a medical school, most people saw it as competition and a direct threat to Utah’s well established medical school. What transpired though, was the staff at Utah reaching out to see how they could collaborate and support the efforts at BYU. They are now united in trying to fill a huge demand for doctors and nurses within the state of Utah. When competing organizations come together, they often both improve and get to a better place. When we stay divided we diminish the efforts of others and in turn limit our own growth.
2 | When we find higher ground, we find common ground.
It was fascinating to see leaders of different religious organizations come together throughout the day. While they have very different beliefs and ways of practicing their faith - they shared that they all had a common denominator of kindness rooted in their stories and traditions. That common denominator is tough to see though when you are only focused on the faith that you practice. The more I personally see and understand in life, the more patient I become. Frustration, disagreement and anger are often born out of an inability to see the whole picture or relate to other’s points of view. When we rise above, we are able to see what connects us, and when we see what connects us, it’s much easier to choose kindness.
3 | Kindness is a choice.
Many people view kindness as a weakness, but one of the themes throughout the day was that kindness is courageous! When others resort to anger, insults, or hatred, it’s hard to respond with kindness. In a true moment of irony, my friend Jeremy Edmonds, who I attended the conference with, was at the airport on his way home enthusiastically sharing his story about the conference with the bartender. A fellow patron at the bar decided to chime in with a string of comments about how he “wasted his day” and insisted that people “deserve to be rude”. Jeremy responded with smiles and shared his thoughts on why the conference was so valuable. One kind act a day, might not always result in a positive outcome, and we can’t let that discourage or deter us from our efforts.
The world is facing a loneliness epidemic sparked by an increase in hostility and polarization. The simple solution though is rooted in kindness. Kindness is not expensive, it’s accessible to all of us. It transcends barriers and boosts our self esteem. It is the glue that can bring us together.
Keep MIBE-ing!
Anthony Lambatos
Founder MIBE
Owner, Footers Catering
P.S. Interested in expanding on these concepts and more? Join me and the MIBE team at our Heart Leadership Workshop in August.
