In the workplace, kindness plays a crucial role in fostering positive interactions. From random acts of kindness to intentional expressions of gratitude, its impact is far-reaching. The significance of treating colleagues with respect is evident in initiatives like Civility Saves Lives, of underscoring that kindness and compassion enhance teamwork and patient outcomes.

What does kindness look like in terms of leadership?  What are the types of skills and behaviours that leaders can employ to exercise professional kindness to their teams and departments/clinics (as well as with patients)?

Leaders can:

• Be kind in the way they approach and set up their teams and collaborative work
• Be kind in the way they interact with their colleagues – noticing them for who they are as well as the role they are taking up at work; and
• Leaders can notice when a colleague is navigating a difficult situation and approach conversations with kindness.
• Leaders can call our behaviour and language that is not kind.

In this short article I take a behavioural lens on what kindness can look like in leading others and collaborative teams. Effective leadership in healthcare demands careful attention and skill to curate and lead complex collaborative teams. Doing this kindly takes time, however when done, the reward will be great.

Kindness forms a part of the core leadership work that goes into setting up a strong and healthy collaborative culture. It is part of a thoughtful, skilled and respectful approach to setting up collaborative work and taking a duty of care for the workforce as well at the patient.

So, what does this look like? This includes actions and behaviours such as: 

• Actions that create strong and effective structures, processes and norms for collaborative teams
  • Say hello to everyone when you come in to work and start a shift.  
  • Have regular check-ins with your staff and colleagues – this can include establishing a regular team meeting (once a week or month, schedule time to have a 15-30min check-in conversation with each member of your team once or twice a year (in addition to or including the Performce review conversation).
     
• Actions that creating safe and inclusive collaborative team spaces (meetings, communication groups, interest groups)
  • Ensure that you know everyone’s name and how to pronounce it!
  • Build stronger relationships by getting to know each person a bit – over time, ensure you know one or two things about each member of your team – something in addition to their work role and responsibilities.
  • Share something about yourself in team meetings or conversations so your staff can get to know you better.
  • Take the time to ask ‘R U OK?’ when you notice that someone might be going through a tough time.
     
• Actions to navigate difficult situations, challenging conversations and sensitive topics.
  • What time and resources to you have to manage difficult situations as they arise and ensure people have time and space to share their voice and hear yours.
     
• Actions to manage work boundaries and support people to take their breaks and their leave, including:   
  • Ensure that you can say no when you need to, and support others to realistically assess their capacity in taking on extra work.
  • Set up regular, planned processes for leave requests and scheduling busy periods that are open and transparent.
  • Be clear on your values and thinking around what is fair and unfair and how you will accommodate different situations and circumstances (this is a regular topic in my coaching work).

These are some of the ways that we can be kind to each other at work, and set ourselves up for kind workplace and culture.

These practices contribute to a kind workplace culture, extending beyond politeness to embed a strong culture of kindness to self and others. While it requires time and thoughtful preparation, the payoff is substantial. These acts form the foundation of a strong organizational culture and effective teamwork, directly impacting patient care.

Dr Anna Clark (PhD)

Dr Anna Clark is AMAVs Leadership consultant, coach and educator, currently offering individual coaching for doctors and directing AMA Victoria’s professional development programs in leadership, the Emerging Leader Program and Middle Leader Program.