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Charm ‘em with kindness
Suzanne Molino Singleton
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Before leaving the office for an interview the other day, the interviewee became quite annoyed at me over the phone because I was forced to push back our meeting time because of breaking archdiocesan news in which I had to take part in writing.
Because it is easy for us humans to “take on” other people’s emotions, I was annoyed myself driving to the interview, bickering in my imagination with this person, thinking I should have said this and definitely said that.
Yet I knew if I carried in that annoyance, the interview would be botched. So I had a chat with myself in the car to let it go and start fresh, especially because the person had apologized already.
Kindness prevailed and the hour-plus dialogue went well between us. The interviewee was remorseful for having over-reacted, apologized again, and said I was a “nice young lady.” (I’ll take the “young.”)
You can’t go wrong with kindness. It doesn’t possess its own emotions. Kindness doesn’t know anger, it can’t show resentment. It’s hard to fight with kindness. It doesn’t know annoyance nor irritability, and it can’t snap at someone. Kindness is always nice. It is polite and gracious and it makes your mother proud.
It’s a good little sentiment.
We should not “kill with kindness,” though, or crush anyone with it – might be a bit too heavy and possibly come off as phony. But we can charm people with kindness. This sentiment of the heart is the best defense in opposition to annoyed, irritated, and angry people.
After describing the energy of the interview as I returned to the office, my coworker Matt said, “It’s good that it ended that way.”
Yes, it was good.
In a perfect world, everything should begin … and end … with kindness.
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