Can kindness really boost productivity? And what does true kindness look like day-to-day at work? Tune in — Graham Allcott, author of the award-winning book KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work, joins us to talk about leadership, culture, and why kindness may be the most underrated business strategy.
🎙️ Topics in this episode
- What kindness really is — and how it differs from being “nice”
- Why kindness is about truth, clarity, and grace
- Limiting damage instead of maximizing pressure
- The myth of “business bastards”
- The eight principles of Kindfulness at work
- Why kindness is a daily practice, not a personality trait
- People first, work second — always
- How kindness scales beyond individuals into culture
🎧 Listen to No Office Podcast #89
🙋 Hosts
👤 Guest
📝 Show notes
- Graham Allcott – website
- Think Productive
- KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work
- The Productivity Ninja (book)
- Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success
👀 Watch on YouTube
8 Principles of Kindfulness
- Kindness starts with you — personal awareness and treating yourself with kindness.
- Set clear expectations — clarity about vision, values, roles, and responsibilities.
- Listen deeply — full presence, empathy, and understanding beyond productivity.
- People first, work second. Always. — treat colleagues as humans first, not just resources.
- Be humble — lead with humility, give credit, take responsibility, avoid ego.
- Treat people the way THEY want to be treated — respect individuality and adapt to different needs.
- Slow down — challenge the “busy = productive” myth and create space for reflection.
- It doesn’t end with you — kindness should ripple outward and shape culture over time.
Summary
In this episode, we explore why kindness is not a soft or naive concept, but a powerful driver of sustainable high performance. Graham Allcott explains how kindness — rooted in clarity, honesty, and empathy — builds psychological safety, improves decision-making, and strengthens collaboration. The eight principles of Kindfulness offer a practical framework for leaders and teams who want to create healthier, more human, and more effective workplaces.
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