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11
April
2025
|
09:16
Europe/Amsterdam

Be nice; kindness is a sign of leadership

Friendly people don’t just make the world brighter; they make it work better

Kindness is underrated. It isn’t soft; it’s a leadership skill. Friendly people lift the mood and make things happen. 

I know that negativity is clickbait, provokes engagement, and is therefore pushed by the algorithm. But please realize that criticism kills the vibe and makes you look ugly.

It never hurts to be friendly, but it can hurt not to be. 

 

 

Embrace the ones who experiment and try

We’ve all seen them. The self-proclaimed gurus with a loud opinion, whether it is Jaguar's rebrand, Zelensky's outfit, penguins on an inhabited island, or the marketing from a local shop. 

They often rely on AI for input, bring limited experience or authority to the table, and, most importantly, lack the data and research to back their claims. In their chase for engagement, they ‘listen to reply’ instead of ‘listen to learn.’ 

There’s absolutely no need to burn down other brands or people for trying new things, experimenting with AI, or making mistakes. Progress comes with hiccups. That’s how we grow.

→ Like Brene Brown once wrote about the man in the arena, ‘It’s not the critic that counts…’ Let’s embrace the ones who test and learn instead of critiquing them and pointing out their flaws.

Except when the brand or person did a really poor job, cut corners, showed no effort, did something stupid, or rushed something out that lacked even MVP standards.

Then, you can call them out. Nicely.

 

 

If you wouldn’t say it in real life, don’t post it online

It’s easy to type out opinions from behind a screen. The keyboard warriors who have an opinion and can’t wait to vent it.

But here’s the thing: most people wouldn’t speak that way face-to-face.

You can still call things out; just do it with constructive intent, not emotional outbursts. Often, kind and constructive criticism will do the job better.

So, let’s keep it simple. If you don’t say it in real life, don’t post it online.

 

 

Summarized: ‘The people need some kindness’

Friendly people lift the mood and make things happen. They don’t just make the world brighter; they make it work better.

And know that kindness is a true leadership skill. It separates the critics from the creators.

→ If this resonates, pass it on. We need more kindness at the top.

Connect if you're building the same way.

 

 


 

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