Is Kindness the Most Underrated Tool in any Business?
 

Sir Richard Branson posted on LinkedIn last week and stated, “Kindness is the Most Underrated Tool in Business”; he got an enormous number of reactions and comments.  Now I don’t really spend much time trawling on social media platforms and it was unusual that anything from Sir Richard appeared in my feed, although I do follow him; but that post stopped me in my tracks and made me think.

With Sarah on her holidays, the team have still been working very hard (honestly Sarah) responding to calls, emails and messages from members as well as those simply wanting some advice. On Friday, we had our quarterly catch up meeting with the team from HMRC AML, covering some new guidance that is being worked on for release early next year and also in general about the property sourcing and deal packaging sectors.  They have read the NAPSA Research Report and expressed gratitude to NAPSA for pulling together all of the information and making it available to them.  I am sure that there will be lots more to report on next year!

On Thursday 27th November Tony & I attended an event to celebrate, ‘Lancashire Day’, organised and run by Lisa Edge from GB Shared, with companies from all over Lancashire in attendance to meet, chat, make friends but much more importantly 'share'.

I have known Lisa for many years, I think nine, and we both had a dream and a vision for setting up and running businesses, neither of us had any idea how we were going to do it! But, over those years we have both seen our businesses grow and go from strength to strength, and yes, I know Lisa Edge, NAPSA needs to engage a lot more on the GB Shared platform and we will! 
 

From the first meeting Lisa Edge and I got on, ‘like a house on fire’, as we say in Lancashire’, we had the same ethos about what type of businesses we wanted to run and we both wanted our businesses to help, guide and support our audiences, provide something that just didn't exist. Lisa Edge has achieved that in spades, and I hope that when people engage with NAPSA they feel that way about us too. 'Kindness' is her middle name, 'Sharing' goes through her like the word 'Blackpool' in a stick of rock; and I consider her to be a role model as well as a friend.

The event was brilliant, we caught up with friends that we hadn’t seen for some time, made new friends and also listened to what GB Shared members are doing in their communities and I can tell you that there was a whole lot of sharing and kindness not just in that room but in everything that these businesses do every day!

If you search Google for the term, ‘Do Kindness and Business Go Together’, it comes up with:

‘Yes, kindness and business go together because kindness builds trust, fosters loyalty, and creates a more positive and productive environment, which ultimately leads to better long-term results…’

I am personally a strong believer in kindness, and paying it forward, but do you agree with me, that for a while now, kindness has seemed to be in short supply and not just in business but in life as well? Kindness is not rocket science, it is a human emotion and response to a negative situation that another human being is experiencing.  It may just be a lack of confidence in themselves, in or something that they have to deal, it could be a family issue or the loss of a loved one; but whatever it is an expression of kindness can go a long way to lighten the load of that person and will often then be passed on by them to another causing a ripple effect; that sharing thing again.

1. Kindness costs nothing – For your business and you personally there is no financial cost and much more to be gained.

2. Kindness can be a simple gesture or kind word – “I am so sorry to hear that you have gone through or going through that”.  “I am here if you need to chat”.  “We can work together to get you through this”.  “I may now someone that can support or help you with that.”

3. Kindness creates ripples – When kindness is expressed, the receiver of that kindness will often pass it on to someone else, caring is sharing.

4. Kindness is transforming – It creates better, happier workplaces, better relationships and ultimately better and more sustainable business.  Tony & I met a local, family of bakers at the Lancashire celebration event, the business had been handed down through 4 generations and some of their staff had been working with them for 35 years, now that must be a happy working environment!

Might there be a flip side to this idea about kindness and business?  

Could kindness be seen as a weakness, something to be exploited, possibly causing some financial loss and if that is so, should it have boundaries?  Well, I will always air on the side of kindness before money, that is just me I guess; I have on many occasions refused to take cash for courses from someone when they have indicated that they have little cash, no job, looking for a quick fix and will use a credit card to pay for it.  That type of business is not for me.

The NAPSA team are deep into preparations now for 2026, but there is nothing specific on the radar for next week, Tony does say that Christmas is not far off!

Wishing everyone a peaceful and stress-free week ahead. 

Tina Walsh

Founder & CEO

NAPSA