The dark side of nice leadership

Kindness has often been mistaken for a weakness, but growing evidence suggests it's actually harder—and more effective—to be kind than to be nice. Let’s take a Deep Dive. 

🙈🙉🙊 Niceness is often associated with people-pleasing, with the intention of being liked, rather than doing the right thing. 

👀 In a work setting, it can have detrimental effects, such as not giving proper feedback, creating the illusion of harmony and refusing to make difficult decisions. 

😇 Kindness, on the other hand, means making tough calls. This includes giving constructive (not soul-crushing) feedback, respecting work-life balance and speaking up. 

❤️‍🩹 In a bid to counter the previous generation’s leadership style, the “nice and cool” millennial leadership approach can sometimes backfire and build an environment of distrust. 

5 An organisation is five times more likely to be considered innovative if it’s also considered kind. 

120% At organisations that put kindness ahead of profits, employees are 120 per cent more likely to have a sense of purpose. 

35% Companies considered kind were 35 per cent more likely to double their EBITDA in the decade up to 2022. 

76% However, 76 per cent of companies have increasingly prioritised profit over people since the pandemic.

According to the Global Health Care Outlook report, how much can poor leadership cost a company per employee per year due to issues like absenteeism and presenteeism?

A. US$500
B. US$2,000
C. US$5,000

Scroll to the bottom for the answer. 

Nice employers tend to avoid resolving conflicts, resulting in 8 hours of lost company time in gossip and other unproductive activities. 

🥲 As you please. Niceness can also result in leaders becoming doormats.

🧬 It’s chemical. An act of kindness positively impacts our well-being, as it releases oxytocin, which promotes social connection, and suppresses activity in the amygdala, which controls fear and anxiety. 

🤷🏼‍♀️ Double-edged sword. Women unintentionally receive nicer feedback than men, which can set them back in their careers. 

🛁 It starts with you. The best way to be kind to your employees? Practise self-care and be kind to yourself.

Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor, on how one can give constructive feedback compassionately.

The percentage of people who’ve refused to buy a product or service over the last two years from a company they consider unkind. 

Krizia Li, the founder and CEO of Vermillion, vividly remembers the Mercedes-Benz cars that defined her childhood. From riding in her dad’s SEL 500 to playing games in her grandma’s classic 190, the brand holds a special place in her heart. Today, Mercedes-Benz still plays a significant role in her life, as she navigates the city and escapes on weekend getaways in her family’s dynamic Mercedes-AMG A 45. Discover the story behind her family’s enduring connection with Mercedes-Benz and her impressions of the new E-Class.

Leading with empathy and kindness can lower sick days: workers report significantly fewer health issues when they work in a non-toxic environment. 

The answer to the quiz is B (US$2,000).