The feedback we’ve had on our kind leader interviews so far has been really positive. People tell us that they really appreciate hearing about a different side of leadership that isn’t often celebrated.
This week we bring you the conversation between Team Time for Kindness member, Alexis, and Johannes Ernst, leader of the FediForum conference. As with our other kind leaders, Johannes has some really useful insights into what it really means to be a leader and how you can bring kindness into the way that you lead. Read on to find out more about the key takeaways from that conversation.
Visit the Time for Kindness YouTube channel to listen to the whole conversation.
Key takeaways
- You recognise a leader by their followers. People will want to follow a leader because it was pleasurable for all involved and this happens when there is kind leadership.
- Listening is central to kind leadership. People want to be heard. Assuming you are in a community of people who have good intentions, make the time to understand each other and act from a belief that everyone is trying to do the right thing, even if you don’t agree.
- Kind leaders provide feedback in a gentle way, starting from a point where they assume everyone means well. Disagreements are then simply a difference of opinion or opportunity to learn; they don’t rush straight into people feeling attacked and therefore defensive.
- Create spaces where it’s not just safe to speak up and give your opinion, but where people are encouraged to do so.
- Your own psychological safety as the leader is important too. If you are feeling safe yourself, then you are going to be able to create that environment for your people.
What next?
- To listen to the full conversation Alexis had with Johannes, visit our YouTube channel.
- There are more conversations with kind leaders to come, so follow our channel to be alerted when each one is released.
- Please spread the word about these conversations with your colleagues, friends and family, we all need positive, hopeful examples.
- I’d like to have more of these conversations to share the stories, so get in touch if you’re a kind leader yourself or you know someone who is.
Take care
Sarah
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