Graciousness — Tip of the Week

I’ve been thinking about people I greatly admire. I’ve limited my thoughts to people I know. What is it about them that causes my admiration? As I compiled my list, I noticed that these people come from all walks of life. Some of them are leaders; some are not. Some are highly successful (as we normally think of success); some are not. My list contains significant diversity, however one defines diversity. So, what is it that makes them admirable to me?

After thinking about it for a long time, what I admire about them most of all is that they are gracious people. They are marked by kindness and courtesy. They are giving people. That’s it. The tie that binds them together as people I admire is their graciousness. They have shown unfailing kindness and courtesy. Their generosity has often gone unheralded, as they wished.

When I started this exercise, I wasn’t sure where it would end. I had thought of several admirable characteristics, but I don’t remember graciousness being one of them. It’s a quality that’s too often overlooked, despite its profound importance. When we are hiring new employees, how often do we look for a gracious person? When we evaluate employee performance, is graciousness next to one of the boxes we check.  Yet, what a difference it could make in every workplace!

My tip? Be gracious.