A couple of days ago, I was watching the Instagram Stories uploaded by supermodel and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss. She was sharing behind the scenes photos and videos of a day in the life at Kode With Klossy, a summer coding camp for teenage girls that Kloss spearheaded after she learned how to code.
Kloss revealed in this IG Stories series that every camp location brings in an influential speaker to introduce Kode With Klossy scholars to women in leadership rules that are nailing it in the real world. Some of the speakers featured in her Stories roundup included Siqi Mou, Founder and CEO of HelloAva, and Lori Beer, Global CIO at JP Morgan Chase.
Beer’s photo was captioned with her messages for the campers about being yourself and that diversity is one of the greatest assets an individual possesses.
CEOs are often stereotyped as acting ruthless in their pursuit to get to the top, but the reality is that it’s time to to put a stop to this perception. True leaders encourage others to be their best selves, keep learning, ask for help, be curious, and be kind. You can be a kind CEO to everyone you meet, from your employees to your customers, and the act of kindness will always be in demand. Here’s how to get started.
1. See your actions as a boomerang.
You know how to use a boomerang, right? When you throw it in the air, it’s supposed to fly right back to you. The same can be said about your behavior. If you put out good energy, you will receive it in return and be surrounded by individuals that possess it. If you exist in a bubble of negativity, people will retreat from you. Well, most people anyway. Misery will flock to you and keeping those vibes around is not ideal for any entrepreneur. Kind CEOs see the attitude and behavior they put out into the world as having a boomerang effect. If it comes back to hurt their reputation, it’s time to make a major change.
2. Don’t expect something in return.
I’m amazed at the number of people I’ve encountered that grow angry they have not achieved tremendous success in life after saying “thank you” once. Kindness is altruistic. You should not expect everyone to fawn over you for the good deeds you do or worse, only act kind to receive immediate gratification.
3. Your kindness helps others pay it forward.
There is a long-term pay-off for genuine kindness in business. Treating others well in your industry creates a terrific domino effect. If you are good to your employees, they will feel good about their place within your company and treat customers well. Customers that are treated well will spread positive word-of-mouth about your business, which will draw new customers (and potential partners and investors) towards you and yield growth in the business.
4. It feels good!
My bottom line with kindness is that when you are kind, or experience someone who is kind and mindful of your feelings, you feel good afterward. You like that you were able to keep your promises, remember the little details to engage with your team, and go above and beyond for your customers. It feels good to treat others right and to do right by others. Go for it, now!
Instagram Images Credit: Karlie Kloss