Thoughts on Kindness from New York City

My book is ultimately about creating possibility. 

Through focus.

Through relationship building.

Through creative leadership.

Through seven strategies overall. 

And through kindness. 

In this 40-second-long video I share some thoughts about kindness from my chapter on overcoming pessimism through believing in the possibility of kindness and seeing where that leads us. 

I have been fortunate to spend quite a bit of time at different points in my life involved in mutual aid initiatives which took horizontal rather than hierarchical approaches to organizing. In a non-hierarchical model, participants in an initiative are driven by support and care rather than by personal gain.

I write about the concept in my book and use it as an example of ways that we can rethink how we approach others. We can be motivated by different types of victory. When we see others as potential allies rather than automatically as adversaries, it opens up possibilities where otherwise we would shut them down. 

Kindness is at the heart of mutual aid. It is rooted in concepts such as cooperation, a sense of shared responsibility, and innovative organizational structures, offers participants a model for reimagining approaches to hierarchies in ways that foster inclusivity, empowerment, and collective accountability. 

By integrating these values into established systems, organizations can shift toward a more collaborative approach where decision-making becomes more transparent, equitable, and participatory. This restructuring not only nurtures a stronger sense of community and trust within organizations but also promotes innovation and adaptability by recognizing the value of every participant’s input, ultimately fostering a more resilient and human-centered collaborative or workplace culture.

Check back soon for more videos, content driven, which are on the way to introduce you to the ideas in the book, and to explore how they can help you to create possibility in your work and your life. 

Believe in the possibility of kindness. 

Let’s build a better now.