Kill'em with Kindness

My dad taught me to "kill'em with kindness". He owned an insurance company in Lake City, Fl where I worked for a summer. I was the first desk and person people saw when they opened the door.

Guess what, people like to complain, blame, and make a much bigger deal out of something than what it really is. And I was first in line for their battery and barrage. I'd get so mad! They wouldn't let me get a word in to try and help them. And like batman, dad would swoop in, greet them like it was his own mother, and take them to his office.

The next thing I know, they were leaving in great spirits. Happy, smiling, and letting us know the names of people they were referring to come to do business with us. My mind... blown!

That's when he taught me how to kill'em with kindness. That lesson, almost 30 years ago, has been one of the greatest tools in building relationships, and businesses. It doesn't mean that the person was right. It doesn't mean that you can't be firm and explain what's going on. It doesn't mean that you have to take a beating from them. It simply means to do it with kindness. To show them that you care about how they feel, right or wrong.

It takes real work to be able to do this. As humans, we tend to naturally want to match and mirror their abruptness, meanness, and frustration. But it serves none of us. And ultimately, what they will remember about you is how you made them feel.

So do yourself a favor... Leave people feeling better than when you met them. Your future will thank you for it.

With Love,

Sean and Kim

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