I reached out to a friend who I hadn’t talked to for a while. She informed me her husband was in end-stage cancer. My heart sank. I had no idea they were dealing with that heartbreaking situation. I felt like a terrible friend. Why didn’t I know? But it’s understandable. Talking about hard things sometimes makes it feel too real. It seems better to keep quiet in an attempt to make it bearable. I’ve been there.

Many of my friends and family are dealing with sickness or other insurmountable challenges right now.

What does this have to do with business?

Everything.

I’m talking about your customers, your employees, your distributors, and everyone around you. Many of them are dealing with things that are too difficult to discuss. Things that make them grumpy, sad, short-tempered, bad listeners, hard to get along with, argumentative…

I’m not saying we should expect less from others or from ourselves. We have to take responsibility for our actions even during difficult times. There are consequences for not being responsible.

But can we be more kind? If we make the effort to treat other people as if they may be dealing with unbearable challenges (it’s very possible they are hurting), we can make a difference. Listen a little longer than you want. Hold back your anger. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

‘Give them the benefit of the doubt’ is a phrase that originated in an Irish courtroom in 1798. It has expanded into everyday usage, meaning not assuming the worst. Don’t jump to the most negative conclusion. Give them the benefit of the doubt and be kind.

It’s easy to be angry with the driver ahead of you on the road, but if you knew they were driving home from the hospital after hearing a terrible diagnosis, wouldn’t you feel differently?

Every business deals with people. Whether you sell couches or work on technical systems. You are talking, listening, or rubbing elbows with a human being.

Don’t you want your business, your brand, to be associated with being kind? Perhaps not, if you are a prosecuting attorney or a lawyer. But even in that profession, there is a benefit to listening harder and being slower to make a judgment.

Wisdom comes when one listens with an open mind and is receptive to new perspectives. Be willing to learn how to adapt to a new situation. Changes happen—big and small. All around us, all the time.

Roy H. Williams says, “Small thoughts fit easily into a closed mind, but big thoughts require an open one.”

Is it time to review your policies to enable your employees to be more kind to your customers? Empowering your employees is imperative to having them demonstrate consistent kindness.

In his book, Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads, Roy H. Williams said, “Rescuing people from the results of their own foolishness is really what customer service is all about. Customers rarely obey the rules. They expect you to rescue them whenever they do something stupid. Will you be a “rescuer,” known far and wide for customer service, or will you steadfastly insist that your customers follow the proper procedures?”

Companies have experienced financial success from building a customer experience focused on kindness. Zappos, Chewy, Ritz-Carlton, Chick-fil-A, and Mission BBQ are a few examples. Customers who experience kindness become loyal. It has been shown repeatedly that loyal buyers with an emotional connection spend more than new buyers.

Roy H. Williams has often said, “The intellect finds logic to justify what the emotions have already decided. Win the heart, and the mind will follow.”

There is a benefit to being the brand that is perceived to be the most kind. The most reasonable. It also gives you peace of mind. It’s the right thing to do. When you stop and think about it, everyone wins in the long run.

We all want to live in a kinder world.

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