KINDNESS STARTS WITH YOU Kindness has to start somewhere, and it should be with you. An important quality that leaders possess is their ability to take initiative when nothing has been asked of them. If you feel your venue’s cul- be the role model that your venue needs. The good news is that, once you’ve set the example, the wave will eventually hit everyone and take on a life of its own. While this all might sound relatively simple, in reality, expect there to be a few people who frankly don’t care to keep the momentum going. Believe it or not, it happens at baseball games too, where Mr. Grumpy Pants will just sit there in his seat refusing to raise his arms as the wave passes through his following suit. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and seeing acts of kindness spread across your company won’t happen that fast either. Kindness will circulate in time, and when it does, appreciate what you’ve started.
“A warm smile is the universal language of kind- ness.” – William Arthur Ward
KINDNESS DOESN’T HAVE AN EGO Kindness cannot and must not be fake. For it to have the desired
looks like it’s coming from a good place, the recipient will usually react with surprise and gratitude. If that same person reacts instead with a look of suspicion, it typically means he or she does not com- pletely trust the sincerity of your words or actions. I would guess we’ve all had this happen to us, where someone says something you think to be either a white lie or just lip service. I like to believe that in calling out that person’s insincerity, since it is likely their intentions were good. Practicing kindness can be a lot like taking criticism,
thing you want to do as a kindness leader is to stop encouraging those - periences didn’t go exactly as planned. With that being said, leaders and participants who set these acts in motion shouldn’t expect to see them paid back right away. To me there’s something morally amiss about keeping score, or even hinting to a colleague that he or she re- ciprocate your kind deed. I would also avoid the temptation to make a spectacle out of your kindness, wherein you’re doing it as a way to be seen and acknowledged. The pleasure you derive from carrying out the act is the true source of satisfaction, not the possibility that Kindness needs to be performed for its own sake, as if it came nat- urally to you. Iif it doesn’t, let it be a reminder it’s time to get your ego in check.
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” – Princess Diana
These days, my growth as a leader has been dedicated less to what I can learn and more to what I can develop. I’ve found that learning has and will always be present in my life, regardless of whether or not I’m ready to acquire a new skill or information. A growth mindset on the other hand requires developing more of a mental playbook, something that has been planned, practiced, and accepted by your team. Fortunately, my venue’s team has taken kindly to playing by my game plan, trusting me as their leader to show them that kindness can triumph over all. .FM
Carrie Paolone, CMP, CEM, CVP, is director of events for the Scotiabank Con- vention Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
May 13-16, 2019 | Ithaca, NY
SENIOR EXECUTIVE SYMPOSIUM
www.iavm.org/ses
SES IAVM 39
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