Acts of Kindness: Recipe for Ugly Times

by Ray B Williams

Maybe we've been looking in wrong place as a way of dealing with the constant negative news about the economy. Our focus has been on business strategy, economic stimulus plans, and government policies. All things. And who is personally responsible? Perhaps the real answer lies in the human heart.

I came across a great post by Bill Taylor in the Harvard Business Review, in which he argues that the best recipe for our current negative times is to do something beautiful. Boston's legendary Dan-Farber Cancer Institute, where sick kids get some of the best care in the world, is building a big new facility. The Boston Globe reported that every morning, in bitter temperatures during the winter, iron workers showed up for work to complete the building. This amidst doom and gloom reports of the economy and layoffs and unemployment. It has become a beloved ritual at Dana-Farber: Every day, children who come to the clinic write their names on sheets of paper and tape them to the windows of the walkway for iron workers to see. And, every day, the iron workers paint the names onto I-beams and hoist them into place as they add floors to the new 14-story Yawkey Center for Cancer Care. The building's steel skeleton is now a brightly colored, seven-story monument to scores of children receiving treatment at the clinic -children like Lia, Alex, and Sam; Taylor, Izzy, and Danny. For the young cancer patients, who press their noses to the glass to watch new names added every day, the steel and spray-paint tribute has given them a few moments of joy and a towering symbol of hope.

Bill Taylor asks "why can't each of us, in our daily work lives, take a small cue from those big-hearted iron workers?" They didn't need a tax cut strategy or spending plan to give those children some hope, some optimism about the future. Taylor cites the example of Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, the fast-growing, billion-dollar internet retailer, who with his colleagues pride themselves on customer service. One of Zappos' customers had tried to locate shoes for her hard to fit husband; ordered them, but before they arrived, he died. Zappos' customer service personnel, aware of situation, sent flowers to the widow on behalf of the company A small gesture, yes, but meaningful to the widow? You bet.

We know from researchers who have looked at how our brains function, and the elements that contribute to happiness, that practicing acts of kindness towards others can have substantial impact on how we face adversity and overcome obstacles. And the more random those acts are, with no expectation of anything in return, the more beneficial to both the giver and receiver.
So during these ugly times, which are only ugly because we perceive them to be, engaging in acts of kindness towards others could be one of the best recipes. For all of us.

About Ray B Williams
Ray B Williams is Co-Founder of Success IQ University a company based in Phoenix, Arizona providing the most innovative products and services to help professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners be more successful in life and work.
Ray is also President of Ray B Williams Associates, a company based in Vancouver B.C., providing executive coaching services.
Ray has been an executive, management consultant and coach for over thirty years, working with leaders throughout the world. He is also a Certified Hypnotherapist and Master NLP Coach. Ray has written a number of books on leadership and writes a regular column for the National Post, Canada's leading newspaper.
Ray is in demand as a speaker, coach, consultant and author throughout North America.
www.successiqu.comwww.raybwilliamsassociates.com;
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