Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Misty Maurin, Associate Chief Information Officer at the UC Riverside School of Medicine/UCR Health and MOR program alum. Misty may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
Reflecting on my time with MOR this past year, I’ve gained countless insights. One has stood out clearly to me: the power of leading and coaching with kindness.
As leaders, every interaction – with our teams, peers, and stakeholders – offers an opportunity to demonstrate the impact kindness can have on an organization. This year, I applied this principle in coaching sessions, strategy discussions, cross-functional collaborations, and mentorship.
One experience, in particular, humbled me and reinforced this belief. We all show up as leaders to inspire, empower with accountability, create vision, support, and execute as a team. But what happens when a team member is struggling? Our instinct is often to fix things—but sometimes, the real growth comes when they are allowed and encouraged to work through challenges themselves.
In this situation, I stepped back, shifted perspective, and focused on active listening. Asking tough questions wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. I focused on how to be the coach this person needed most in this moment. Throughout that process, one thing remained constant: human kindness. When we coach with kindness—not just as leaders, but as people—we create space for connection, understanding, and making voices heard.
That’s where the real transformation happens. This individual learned to manage stress, accept help without guilt, and embrace the power of TEAM. The person discovered that vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s strength. Allowing others to lift you when you’re down is what being part of a team truly means.
As we think about coaching others for a breakthrough in their growth, our MOR program materials provide four important dimensions to remember. Being a good coach- and coaching with kindness- means:
- Setting a context for the conversation that encourages broad exploration of the other person’s future. Begin by understanding their aspirations.
- Inserting a level of processing so the conversation can converge on one or two possibilities. Help them focus on where you see the greatest possibility for a breakthrough.
- Building sustainable commitment to map out more complex goals. Help them see a pathway to achieving their goal.
- Creating continuity so that follow-up is planned and forward progress is maintained. This is a long-term commitment.
This coaching is rooted in kindness. Leading and coaching with kindness isn’t just a leadership trait—it’s a catalyst for growth, resilience, and trust.
Kindness isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a leadership superpower. When leaders choose kindness, the impact goes far beyond the moment.
Which dimension of coaching would most help you better coach for a breakthrough?
Emotional intelligence in leadership requires staying connected in deeper ways with peers and colleagues. Last week, we asked about your observation of your colleagues’ level of stress in recent months compared to usual?
- 40% said way more
- 40% said slightly more
- 17% said the same
- 3% said less
Wow! 80% of us observe more stress in our colleagues compared to just a few months ago, and only 3% observe less stress. This is not healthy for those feeling the stress, or for those feeling the impact of others’ stress. What’s something you can do today to bring a bit more kindness to your work? It is needed. As Mr. Rogers says, there are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.