My nephew turns 3 this coming week and I am typically never at a loss for ideas of what to get him for any holiday. He loves cars, trucks, and dinosaurs – and much to my excitement, he recently became Spiderman’s biggest fan.
Now that he is attending preschool regularly, interacting verbally with more people, and reentering society after being locked down for nearly two-thirds of his young life, I want to share more than just the coolest toy or gadget with him. I came across the book “The ABCs of Kindness” when perusing the book aisle at Target and thought this is the perfect age and occasion to be a role model for kindness.
It just so happens that Random Acts of Kindness Day takes place annually on February 17th (today!) – mere days before my nephew’s birthday. To celebrate the day, JB typically shares work-related ways to spread kindness to make work better for your colleagues. This year I thought I’d take it back to the basics inspired by my recent quick-read.
“C is being caring in everything you do”
I also think C can stand for CHALANT®, our guiding mission at JB. Care, for me, means checking in on colleagues when they are going through hard times (or even when they aren’t!) and anticipating when they may need help with a project or assignment.
☑ What caring action can you take today for a colleague?
“G is for gratitude – give thanks along the way”
When was the last time you said “thank you” to a coworker? My goal for 2022 is to find more moments to express my gratitude, whether it is gratitude for an action taken by a coworker or gratitude for just being themselves!
☑ Send a random thank you to someone today!
“J is for joy – when you make somebody’s day”
What brings you joy? For me, it’s a morning walk with my partner and dog. For others, it might be receiving a small gift, a compliment, or unexpected time back in their day.
☑ You can’t fill from an empty cup, so make sure you’re kind to yourself today and do something that brings you joy!
“N is for nobody missing out on fun”
In a hybrid working environment, it can be easy to leave out the virtual employees on days when you’re in the office. I always jot down notes from our in-person banter to loop in the employees who can’t physically be with us. Yesterday, it meant filling Bailey in on all our discussions about puppies (and how we’re trying to convince Courtney to get one).
☑ How can you be inclusive of coworkers with whom you don’t regularly connect?
“V is for voices – let everyone’s be heard”
We recently had our biannual JB Palooza where the entire team got together to celebrate wins from 2021 and plan for 2022 success. The biggest takeaway from our time together was a discussion around an activity in one of our workshops. During that discussion, every single team member voiced their thoughts and opinions on the activity. It’s not every day that every single person unmutes on a Zoom meeting, much less giving constructive feedback!
☑ How can you create a culture where everyone feels valued to share their voice?
I certainly didn’t think a children’s book could inspire so much reflection and inspiration – but we can all start simple! I look forward to hearing how you can apply the ABCs of Kindness this Random Acts of Kindness Day.