The InVisionary

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

One of the guiding principles we focus on here at InVision is treating others with respect and kindness. The ability to “treat others as you wish to be treated,” you know, the golden rule, can have tremendous impact on ourselves and others. The impact in following through on this is sometimes more than we realize. It seems like such a simple thing to do.

Kindness and respect are choices we all make daily. We can choose to be kind or choose to be grumpy. Think about how powerful a kind word or action is to someone who is having a tough time. The ability to take time to provide a listening ear to someone who is frustrated and just needs to vent and be heard. As the Director of Regional Operations in the western region of InVision, I have the pleasure of witnessing the kindness of our staff with the people they support on a regular basis. I see the infectious smiles and laughs from staff that ripple to the people we support. I watch the caring gestures of support that are given. I witness staff honoring the voices and choices that are being expressed by people supported. These are all impactful choices made daily. 

Kindness and respect are more than just being polite to people. It goes a step further. It includes actively working to create an environment where people feel appreciated. This principle involves treating others with dignity, valuing the opinions of others and acknowledging their feelings. It is understanding that everyone struggles from time to time and are doing the best they can. When people are struggling, having the capability to remain calm and respectful is a skill and a gift we can offer…and it’s not always easy.
 
So why does this matter? When we practice this principle and show kindness and respect to others, it starts laying groundwork for an environment where people feel valued and heard. We are able to build positive relationships and work toward reducing conflicts. We may not aways agree, but if we can demonstrate respect in all situations, it can provide a new experience that maybe someone has not had before, and hopefully that experience can carry on to the next person, and so on. It becomes infectious!

Make a choice each day to show kindness and respect:
 

• Be kind to yourself
• Actively listen to others to understand
• Show gratitude
• Owning up to your actions
• Develop empathy
• Sync your smile
• Compliment someone
• Engage in constructive conversations