Discussion: View Thread

Kindness in Leadership

  • 1.  Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-22-2019 11:42 AM
    Kindness. For our friends, family, colleagues, and strangers. We all have many opportunities to show kindness. It's often small offers. Other times it's large acts. Small or large, these acts of kindness can be infectious. 

    Are you kind in leadership? Do you make it a priority to be kind when you can?  Encourage special projects? Show compassion for an employee going through personal challenges? Find small amounts of money or time to help someone reach a professional goal? Take time to provide mentorship?

    I had the opportunity to experience kindness from my co-workers recently. The night before the three day orientation in August for new graduate students I was out running (not even very fast!), tripped on the sidewalk, and broke my arm. It required an ambulance, emergency surgery, and a plate and 6 screws in my arm. Obviously I was out of commission for awhile and a longer time until I was able to provide clinical care. My fabulous co-workers stepped up without a beat and covered all my clinical responsibilities. To this day I don't know who did what to make it all go ok. But they made sure I knew it didn't matter. They just showed kindness. 

    Their kindness reminded me that being kind to others pays off. Be kind. Receive kindness.

    Share your stories about kindness in leadership.

    ------------------------------
    Jennifer M. Simpson, AuD CCC-A
    Clinical Professor and Associate Head
    Director of Clinical Education in Audiology
    Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-24-2019 12:26 PM
    Jennifer,

    What a great topic! I had an experience with one of our graduate students just this week that I'd like to share. 

    In passing one day I asked the student if I could read some information that she had compiled (related to the field but nothing that she was required to give me). It took some time on her part during a very busy week for her (3 tests, several clinical competency checks, grad assistant duties, etc.). I had not realized that her week was piled up and my request probably added to her stress level. She happily did what I asked with a smile and no indication that it added to her workload. 

    When I realized the situation, I wrote her a quick note (on a post-it!) that said, "Thanks for doing EXTRA for me during such a busy time for you!", stuck it to a pack of "Extra" brand gum and put in in her mailbox. That afternoon she came into my office, sat down, and said, "I've never had a professor write me a note. Thank you for thinking of me as a person. I took a picture of it and sent it to the friends I went to undergrad with." 

    I feel sure she's had professors show her kindness; I don't mean to imply that faculty members aren't kind. That note was really such a minor thing, but apparently it was meaningful to her at that moment. 

    Do I always remember to react with kindness to our students, particularly when I'm frustrated with their work or attitude? Ummmm, NO. But noticing the "above and beyond" as well as the "you need to do better next time" goes a long way in helping student motivation, at least in my opinion. We are leaders to our students. I'm going to be more intentional about doing those little things that can mean a lot. 

    Thanks, Jenn for sharing your story! And I hope your arm is better. :-)



    --
    Natalie Benafield, Au.D., CCC-A
    Clinical Instructor II 
    Audiologist | Graduate Program Coordinator
    Dept.of Communications Sciences and Disorders
    University of Central Arkansas
    201 South Donaghey, UCA Box 4985 | Conway, AR 72035-0001
    501.450.5484 office | 501.450.5474 fax | 501.450.3176 clinic | nbenafield@uca.edu

    AVID: UCA dedicates itself to Academic Vitality, Integrity, and Diversity | uca.edu


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  • 3.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-24-2019 09:39 PM

    Natalie
    What a great story!  It really doesn't take much to show appreciation and make someone's day!

    Thanks for sharing. 

    Jenn



    ------------------------------
    Jennifer M. Simpson, AuD CCC-A
    Clinical Professor and Associate Head
    Director of Clinical Education in Audiology
    Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-25-2019 12:35 PM

    These are both awesome and inspiring stories about the value of kindness (which I would argue is often lacking in our society these days!).  Sometimes kindness can manifest itself simply as a smile to a fellow human.  I try to remember this as I'm walking in the halls in our hospital, sometimes dashing from one meeting to the next.  Just slowing down a moment to greet a passerby-whether it be a colleague or a patient-with a smile and a friendly "hello" can brighten a day.  We're all travelling on this journey we call life together, and kindness truly does matter.  Thanks to Jennifer and Natalie for sharing their kindness stories.  May we all take pause and commit an act of kindness today! 

     

    --Margot

     

     

    Margot L. Beckerman, AuD, CCC-A, FNAP

    Assistant Director, Michigan Balance-Vestibular Testing and Rehabilitation

    Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

    Michigan Medicine

    C166A Med Inn Building

    1500 East Medical Center Drive, SPC 5816

    Ann Arbor, MI  48109-5816

    (734) 232-9399

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • 5.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-25-2019 07:55 PM

    Margot
    Thanks for the reminder that kindness is as easy as slowing down and recognizing each other. 

    Jennifer



    ------------------------------
    Jennifer M. Simpson, AuD CCC-A
    Clinical Professor and Associate Head
    Director of Clinical Education in Audiology
    Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-25-2019 01:44 PM
    Thank you Natalie and Jennifer for sharing....and Natalie, what a great story!

    I'll share something quickly "along-ish" the same line as Natalie regarding grad students. As a clinical assistant professor, I supervise a lot of grad students in the clinic each semester. In part, that means A LOT of reviewing/revising reports and disposition notes! During my time as an adjunct and now full-time, I would simply go into "correction mode" and make edits and comments to guide them in their writing so they can fix whatever and then I can sign the report and move on. With all there is to do, I want to get through this task (editing reports/notes) and then I can move on to the next task on my list. But, towards the end of last semester, I started to think about this from the student perspective about how they would see all of the "red font" from Track Changes. Although I never received any student feedback about how I correct notes and reports was good or bad, I thought about how it would be to see a lot of red with corrections and suggestions from their perspective. 
    So, I am now purposefully adding in positive feedback in my comments because who doesn't like a compliment?! In draft report, I aim for at least two compliments or kudos about "something" in the writing. In a disposition note, my goal is at least one compliment. I will highlight a sentence or two (or section) and write a sincere comment, such as "Wow, I really liked how you phrased this," "wonderfully written," or compliment them on a fast turnaround for a longer report. Things like that and I try to make them unique. Maybe this is a common practice about adding in compliments in notes/report drafts and I am a little late hopping on this train....but better late than never.

    My aim is to slow down just a bit and think about the student......and I realize that slowing down just a little bit doesn't stop my personal progress on the never-ending to-do list.

    David

     

    David I. Alexander, AuD, CCC-A

    Clinical Assistant Professor  |  Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology

    -

    P: 410-704-3617 
    dalexander@towson.edu



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  • 7.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-25-2019 08:39 PM

    David
    Great example! You are so right-taking a moment to share a positive, encouraging comment with a student is worth it. That never-ending list of tasks will always be there!


    Thanks David!
    Jenn



    ------------------------------
    Jennifer M. Simpson, AuD CCC-A
    Clinical Professor and Associate Head
    Director of Clinical Education in Audiology
    Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-27-2019 06:26 PM
    I have enjoyed reading this thread and all of the ways that each of you has shown kindness to others and how you have been shown kindness.  In our department (Audiology and Speech Pathology) at AR Children's we have a form that we ask team members to complete that lists some of their favorite treats.  A year or so ago, small treats starting showing up on a few desks every night with notes of kindness and "mystery".  Eventually the team member was revealed.  He had taken it upon himself to put together treat bags for each team member and leave for them.  This gesture of kindness meant a lot to all of us.  It may seem like a small thing, but it was truly a big deal.  

    I recently ran across this article in Forbes, "Making Kindness a Priority at Work".  It highlights a study published in 2018 in the journal Emotion.  One of the best takeaways for me is the idea that kindness is contagious (we may think that this is true, but it is always great to have data to support our theories).  Acts of kindness don't have to be grandiose.  They can be small - but their impact can be mighty!

    Donna

    ------------------------------
    Donna Fisher Smiley, Ph.D., CCC-A
    ASHA Fellow
    Audiologist & Audiology Supervisor
    EARS Program @ Arkansas Children's Hospital
    smileydf@archildrens.org
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-28-2019 12:29 PM

    Thank you for sharing this article – it's encouraging to know that we can all make a difference in our workplaces through small gestures that show kindness to others!

     

    Alison

     

    Alison A. Lemke, M.A., M.P.A., CCC-SLP, CBIS

    Associate Clinical Professor

    Director of Clinical SLP Education

    University of Colorado, Boulder

    2501 Kittredge Loop Drive

    Boulder, CO 80309

    Alison.Lemke@Colorado.edu

    Phone: 303-735-8636

    https://www.colorado.edu/slhs

     






  • 10.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-29-2019 01:03 PM
    I also appreciated the article and have shared it with my coworkers!

    Jaynee





  • 11.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-29-2019 02:57 PM
    Thanks so much Jen for creating this post and to Donna for the article.  I am so fortunate to work with truly kind people in my university clinic.  It's the ENTIRE reason I stay where I am.  Unfortunately, over the years, I have had the sad experience to work with/under a few leaders who were not kind and it definitely makes a difference (negatively) in the overall group dynamic.   I often recall those times when I am fortunate enough to lead and genuinely try and conduct myself in a manner that will invite kind and friendly inclusion across all individuals.  I had a colleague years ago who had a "Random Acts of Kindness" poster up on her door.  I have used one of the examples from that poster  in the past of paying for the car behind me in the drive through.  I would love to hear of other people's random acts of kindness gestures.

    ------------------------------
    Melissa Passe
    Truman State University
    Director, Speech and Hearing Clinic
    passe@truman.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-30-2019 08:14 AM
    I appreciate Donna's article and the responses. After I read it yesterday morning, I was on campus, walked up to a counter not knowing the person behind the counter, and in waiting my turn, she asked me what I did. I said two sentences about SLPs, and she interrupted me. She said when she was 6 years old she woke one morning to a traumatic event and the loss of her mother. She said that the one person who got her through the next several years was her SLP! She was receiving services in the schools, but this SLP was kind to her beyond words, supported and helped her and she, to this day, has never forgotten the impact that person made on her life! I have no idea who that SLP was but the legacy she left in that family is an example for all of us! 

    I frequently think, in our professions of audiology and speech language pathology, we don't realize how much of a difference we make to others (both patients/clients and peers), and how different their lives would be without our involvement. 

    Thanks, Donna, for helping us "be better". 

    Carolyn

    --
    Dr.Carolyn Wiles Higdon, CCC-SLP, Fellow-ASHA, Fellow-NAP
    Professor, University of Mississippi
    Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
    Clinical Associate Professor, UM Medical Center
    Past Vice President of Finance: ASHA Board of Directors 2012-2014
    Past Member of the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA)
    SIG 17 Perspectives Editor

    University Contact Information
    2301 S. Lamar Blvd, NE 1505
    University of Mississippi
    University, MS 38677
    Primary Phone/Cell: 678-296-0905
    UM Fax: 662-915-5717

    Primary Personal  Contact Information
    Cell: 678-296-0905






  • 13.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-28-2019 11:42 PM

    Thank you Donna for sharing that great example of a pretty small gesture that lifted spirits. Our actions/intentions really do make a difference. 


    And thank you for the article link. So true!  

    Jenn 



    ------------------------------
    Jennifer M. Simpson, AuD CCC-A
    Clinical Professor and Associate Head
    Director of Clinical Education in Audiology
    Purdue University
    West Lafayette, IN
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-31-2019 10:05 AM
    This has been a wonderful discussion. Sadly, we live in a world where both children and adults experience bullying, even as documented within our own professional community. In a climate of intolerance and lack of trust, strategies to resolve conflict have become a necessary addition to the curriculum in many education programs. Any opportunities to focus on kindness and compassion towards others are most valuable.
    I appreciated the wisdom of Mr. Rogers as my children watched his show when they were growing up, and his examples of kindness towards others were the point of reference for conversations about how to treat others. Recently, a dear colleague gave me a book about him, "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers." The sentiments that have been shared in this discussion could have jumped right off of those pages.
    As someone who spends time in supporting new professionals and in training those who supervise them, I try to focus on the human aspects of what we do, and not just the clinical aspects of the work. I will make every effort to continue to emphasize the importance of kindness in all of our relationships, and thank my colleagues in this group for reminding me of just how important that is.
    Melanie

    ------------------------------
    Melanie W. Hudson M.A., CCC-SLP F-ASHA
    National Director, EBS Healthcare
    Former Member, ASHA Board of Directors
    melaniehudsonslp@comcast.net
    678-357-1856
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: Kindness in Leadership

    Posted 10-31-2019 04:32 PM
    Thanks for the post Melanie.  I like the Mr. Rogers reference.  I used to have a poster on my wall that said "Everything I need to know in life I learned in Kindergarten."  As you can imagine, "kindness to others" was at the top.  Have a great day all!

    ------------------------------
    Melissa Passe
    Truman State University
    Director of Clinical Education
    passe@truman.edu
    ------------------------------