Scan the newspaper headlines, or switch on cable news for a few minutes, and it’s easy to conclude that we are living through harsh, mean, divisive times. But a recent column in the Washington Post reminded me of a truth that is even easier to overlook: Just as bad behavior tends to spread, so too does good behavior. Kindness, it turns out, is contagious. The column highlighted the work of Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki, who documents what he calls “positive conformity.” In his research, “participants who believed others were more generous became more generous themselves.” This suggests that “kindness is contagious, and that it can cascade across people, taking on new forms along the way.”
Making Kindness a Core Tenet of Your Company
Good behavior can be contagious.
November 22, 2018
Summary.
Good behavior can spread in the same way that bad behavior does. The key to unleashing kindness in your organization is to create the conditions under which it will become contagious. Take Mercedes-Benz USA, which wanted to ensure it was showing compassion toward every customer interacting with the brand. The company encouraged its dealers and staffers to join a grassroots kindness “movement,” and it worked.
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HBR Learning
Leading People Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What you need to know about being in charge.