When your organization talks about its top priorities and goals, I’d be willing to wager that words like “scalability,” “productivity,” “growth,” and “performance metrics” get thrown around A LOT!

One word that (probably) doesn’t come up in the vast majority of these company goal meetings is kindness.

Oftentimes, this word isn’t even on the radar of most managers and leaders. Acts of kindness aren’t readily associated with being able to increase an organization’s bottom line. And so, the concept is not one that’s considered as being beneficial in more than daily conversation among employees, regardless of what’s going on in the world.

Not surprisingly, the role of kindness in organizations, as well as for an individual’s career, is significantly underestimated. Science and social research continue to prove this point over and over again. With benefits for both mental health and physical health, some leaders are beginning to take note.

When looking at kindness in terms of soft skills, there is absolutely an interconnected relationship. Collaboration, creativity, public speaking, and teamwork all benefit from simple and conscientious daily acts of kindness.

From Harvard Business School to UC Berkeley, researchers have linked giving and receiving kindness to a whole host of amazing benefits for the body, including decreased blood pressure levels, a decreased risk of depression and anxiety, stimulation of serotonin production (which acts as a natural antidepressant), increased oxytocin levels, enhanced energy, and a “…44% lower likelihood of dying early…” (Source: Random Acts of Kindness Foundation).

Plainly put, kindness is a more incredible force than most of us realize. 

It’s so simple and it costs nothing, and yet it’s so powerful in terms of results. Kindness literally creates a whole body shift that changes the chemicals released into our brains - how we feel, how we perceive the world, and how long we live. Whether we’re on the giving or receiving end of a compliment, a kind word, or an extension of help when problems arise, these benefits occur.

So what does this mean for improving your soft skills? The possibilities are exciting and limitless.

The more challenging soft skills to develop, including collaboration, teamwork, public speaking, and conflict resolution, all involve other people. These skills are also crucial to the success of every organization. When we strive to foster a culture of kindness in the workplace, these skills become much easier to develop. 

Rather than putting individual interests and egos first, those who are devoted to building a culture of kindness will be more likely to quickly resolve conflict.

Collaboration among employees can become far more robust and productive when, instead of staying in a silo of your own project work, individuals can truly define what teamwork means at its core.

In addition to building these skills, which ultimately leads to company growth and achievement, kindness leads to a workplace that is happier, more creative, and ready to adapt to the challenges of the future. And who knows - maybe the changes wrought from kindness in the workplace can extend to your family, friends, and community, or vice versa.

When developing your skills or the soft skills of your work group, whether it’s public speaking, collaboration, conflict resolution, or any other specific skill, look at the simplest, least costly tool you may have - human kindness.

LB Adams is the Founder of Practical Dramatics, headquartered in Charleston, SC.  Her company provides spectacular keynote talks and break out sessions that utilize theatre strategies to help humans grow more profitable conversations with other humans. Check out Practical Dramatics’ YouTube channel to see LB’s interviews with business leaders driving industry in her show, Snack-Sized Business.