Kindness

The competitive advantage of kindness

By Arden / June 23, 2018 /

I recently spoke at the Washington Society of Association Executives conference. After my presentation on making meetings more effective, I attended a presentation on kindness by Donna Cameron, author of “A Year of Living Kindly.” She shared some impressive statistics about the return on investment kindness has on an organization.

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What George Washington knew about etiquette

By Arden / March 24, 2017 /

The concept of etiquette and civility has been around for a very long time. I recently finished a novel called “Rules of Civility” that included mention of George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation. Apparently, at age 16, young George (yes, eventual first president of the United States) copied by…

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The year of kindness: Join me on a kindness journey

By Arden / January 6, 2017 /

Kindness is showing love to someone else. I believe that kindness is the cure for violence and hatred around the world. Lady Gaga The January 1st Parade magazine edition had an article about making 2017 the year of being kind and included the lovely quote above by Lady Gaga. According to the article, studies have…

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Be the first to say hello

By Arden / October 24, 2016 /

I recently discovered something about myself that was dismaying. It’s such a simple thing but I realized my actions were not portraying my best self.

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How to win favors and influence opportunity

By Arden / September 20, 2016 /

Oh the power of “hello,” “please” and “thank you.” When they are used you often get better service, lower prices, maybe even a seat on a crowded plane. When they are not employed, you’re put in the “rude” category and are faced with possible negative consequences.

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A lesson from toothpaste

By Arden / August 21, 2016 /

My fabulous children’s manners teacher, Jan Townsend, forwarded me a Facebook post written by someone I don’t know. The author’s name is Amy and I was both excited and moved by her words. In her post she talked about teaching her daughter, who was entering middle school, about kindness. To teach the lesson, she had…

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Five tips for workplace success

By Arden / June 15, 2016 /

Have you ever wondered why some people have more success in their jobs and others can’t seem to get ahead even though they are very smart? According to a Harvard University study, 85% of a person’s workplace success is due to their personal skills – those intangible skills that lead to better and smoother relationships…

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A verboten topic

By Arden / January 23, 2016 /

“So, do you have kids?” Have you ever asked someone this question? Such a seemingly innocuous question. But, it’s actually a very loaded, potentially painful topic. A few days ago I received this email from a newsletter reader.

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Setting attainable and enjoyable New Year’s resolutions

By Arden / January 4, 2016 /

I’m not a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions because I find they are easy to break after a few weeks. The gym I belong to is a perfect example of this – hordes of new people fill the classes in January and by February most of them have disappeared. It can be hard…

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Will it kill you to be nice?

By Arden / May 12, 2015 /

It’s National Etiquette Week – a time when we remember the importance of acting with courtesy, civility, kindness and good manners. And a good reminder it is. In our busy, rush, rush 21st century lives, it seems courtesy and kindness often take a back seat to our own agenda. For example; too often I find…

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