Kindness will help turn around economy

The country music group The Dixie Chicks has a song in which the lyrics state “not ready to make nice.” This reminds me of the economy that we are experiencing. In fact, these words resonate to me on many levels with regard to the economy.

First, the economy seems to be in a holding pattern. It does not seem to be improving at any significant pace. Nor does it appear to be retreating into negative territory. It comes down to expectations.

What are we hoping for, what are we expecting, and what are we prepared for?

In some sense we are expecting that the stimulus money aka “the Recovery Act” would create some immediate improvement in our economy. In some cases it has bridged a few rough budget areas for our local government.

However, with regard to business, the question of expectations is something that defines ones outlook on the economy. For some, there is a desire to see the levels of business booked in 2007 and 2008as the benchmark for where we need to be today. For others, there is a view that this was an overheated market with excessive and impractical standards to measure today’s performance expectations.

They see 2004 and 2005 levels as more realistic to measure performance.

In some cases the outlook is industry specific and each have their own validity. Ultimately, realistic expectations can insulate ones view from emotional extremes as we navigate the best solutions for our businesses.

The emotional aspect of expectations is another factor that affects our businesses. Our customers and associates feel the impact of their own economic variables. Some fear what the future may or may not offer. Others dismiss the myth of scarcity and embrace the promise of abundance. Either way, our current environment requires that we take a deep breath and have an added measure of grace. It is easy to have a dogmatic view of how things should be. However, things have changed and change alone affects our associates. We have not seen this measure of change in a long time. Now is a good time to find an extra measure of kindness to overlook uncharacteristic behavior.

I was so impressed with a friend who recently went out of the way to be very kind and generous. It was most humbling to experience a genuine kindness with no expectations. We all remember the movie in which Helen Hunt “pays it forward” by doing good deeds and encouraging others do so. I experienced that this past week. Wow — powerful.

The economy may be in the “not ready to make nice” mode. However, we can choose to make it a little easier for others. Our customers and associates are a great place to begin. The economy is a tough reality. Finding a way to “make nice” may offer a promise of abundance that makes all the difference to those around us. Nothing quite defines our strength more than our capacity for kindness in the face of extreme challenges.

This is a time for leadership, vision, strength, and especially kindness.

Jim Charapich’s business column appears each Monday in the Star-Exponent.