Kindness, active listening and trust are often mentioned in the corporate world and more specifically in the so called “liberating leadership organizations”. Does that mean that they should make a new chapter in management books or business classes, should it become a new managerial tool to make a business or an organisation flourish?

Management literature and leadership articles are full of these concepts seemingly so innovative and revolutionary for the corporate world: let’s be kind to each other, let’s listen to each other a little bit more, or just a little bit. Even the giant Google and its “Aristotle” project paved the way in 2012 telling us that the highest performing teams were the ones were people were nice to each other!

What are we talking about? A new leadership style? How come that it seems so innovative and also … attractive to us?

Leadership can take different forms and multiple models have been designed: amongst the most known the model from Ken Blanchard known as “situational leadership” where the leader adapts his or her behaviour to the co worker’s maturity level, the model from Daniel Goleman where it is more about adapting to the context (crisis or not) and the specific needs of the co worker.

At the end of the day, these different models have the same key message: they talk about adaptability, agility and the ability to behave differently according to the individual and the specific situation at hand.

So what about listening and kindness in these models? Have Blanchard and Goleman forgotten to mention them?

Of course not. These are intrinsic qualities of the person behind the role. These are dimensions that an inspiring leader has always been able to demonstrate whatever the leadership style he or she has adopted without having heard about “liberating leadership companies”.

It seems easy though. Listen, be kind. Not always.

Concretely it means that in an environment where running after time is the rule, final result remains the ultimate KPI, risk taking not encouraged, still one has to :

As co workers (we are, one way or another, all co workers) we want to be listened to, recognized and trusted. This is universal. Liberating leadership or not.

So, is this all about « soft » leadership where the leader becomes a sort of social worker listening to everyone and everything. A leader who would accept lower performance on behalf of kindness and trust. Of course not.

If co workers ask to be listened to, recognizing they also want a leader who makes decisions, who describes and endorses a clear vision and a strategy that talks to everyone. The more he or she leaves space for initiative, freedom to talk and act, the more they will be allowed to be demanding because the deal is clear and respectful of everyone.

As said by A. De Heijer: « When I talk to managers I get the feeling that they are important, when I talk to leaders I get the feeling that I am important »

Of course, the corporate world is not only about kindness and the speech could sound naive or simplistic.

But what is the risk of daring to bet on kindness and trust? To find those that will let you down? Maybe. What is sure is that a model without kindness and trust could lead to an environment where “well being” at work is another very trendy concept because it is so endangered. Yoga and mindfulness are now called for help at work to allow people having space to listen to themselves for lack of being listened to by their leaders.

So, yes it is worth it for a leader, but more globally for all of us, to reconnect with our interpersonal skills and make listening, kindness and trust part of our basic skills.

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