Kindness

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."

Dalai Lama

 

Imagine that.  What if you made the philosophy of how to treat patients and how to treat each other come down to one word?  Kindness.  The thing is, it's a bonus word or philosophy.  You can't have kindness without having all the other things that come with it. Kindness brings all this with it:

    Compassion, affection, altruism, amiability, benevolence, charity, consideration, cordiality, courtesy, decency, delicacy, fellowship, forbearance, generosity, gentleness, good intention, good will, grace, graciousness, heart, helpfulness, hospitality, humanity, indulgence, magnanimity, patience, philanthropy, serviceability, solicitousness, sweetness, sympathy, tact, tenderness, thoughtfulness, tolerance, understanding, unselfishness.

    Ok, I'll admit it, I used the Thesaurus, but it's a good group of words to describe a team, isn't it?  You know what, I just took each word and asked myself if I could apply it to everyone on our team and I'm happy to tell you, I can.  Some are stronger in some areas than others, some need to work on their tact, others on their thoughtfulness, but they all have some of everything in them. 

    My boss leads the way.  I once heard a staff member say "I have to give everyone a chance because he looks at me through such kind eyes, so I have to try to do the same."  So you see, it's not wasted.  People really do get it when you treat them kindly and fairly.  Dr. Price has the ability to look at everyone, no matter what their station in life, and break it down to one thing.  He sees before him a human being who needs to be cared for and cared about.  It's a powerful example for us and I think the key to why I am able to say, "Yes, I see all of the above mentioned traits in our staff."  You can't work with someone like him and not be affected in a positive way.  I truly believe that working in his practice and seeing his example has changed the way I look at others and interpret them.  It has been a change for the better that increased kindness in me.

    So, will you be an example and mentor to your staff?  It doesn't have to be the dentist, if you are a staff member and are reading this, make it your mission to be a model of kindness.  Do it and watch your world change for the better.

  "When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I ought to feel."

                                                        ~Harold Kushner~