The ROI of Kindness: Why Human Connection Outperforms Hard Metrics
Connection as a Strategy: Why Kindness, Check-Ins, and Trust Drive Results Across Departments and Partnerships
By Belinda Sharp
In mission-driven work, execution matters. But execution without connection often leads to burnout, silos, and short-lived gains. Whether you're leading a municipal team, managing cross-sector initiatives, or coordinating direct services, effective leaders understand that how we treat one another matters just as much as what we aim to achieve.
In today’s complex public service environments—where objectives are layered, timelines are tight, and stakeholders are diverse—simple human practices like checking in and demonstrating kindness are not merely interpersonal niceties. They are foundational to team performance, interdepartmental cohesion, and long-term impact (Grant, 2021).
As I begin a new leadership role, this theme has become increasingly clear. A question I find myself asking—and one that many public leaders are now wrestling with—is: How and when do we prioritize relationships to foster more effective outcomes?
Why Connection Is a Leadership Strategy
Across civic institutions and government agencies, teams often operate under multiple mandates and persistent resource constraints. The pressure to “do more with less” can push leaders toward hyper-efficiency and output-driven management. But decades of organizational research—and lived professional experience—show that connection and care are not distractions from the work. They are the work (Cameron, 2012).
When employees feel seen and supported, trust develops. That trust becomes the foundation for open communication, cross-functional alignment, and psychological safety. As Edmondson (2019) explains, psychological safety is not about being agreeable—it’s about creating environments where people feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and take smart risks without fear of ridicule or punishment. These are precisely the behaviors that enable innovation, accountability, and strategic execution in the public sector.
Check-Ins: Small Gestures with Big Impact
How often do we pause to ask our team members how they’re doing—not just professionally, but personally?
Routine check-ins offer a low-cost, high-impact strategy for strengthening team dynamics. They help leaders identify barriers early, gauge morale, and promote a culture of care. In high-pressure environments, such as public health, education, or emergency services, a simple check-in communicates: You are not just a role. You are a person, and your wellbeing matters (Grant, 2021).
These small gestures build relational capital, which becomes especially important during periods of change or crisis. Research consistently shows that relational leadership improves team resilience, adaptability, and retention (Boyatzis et al., 2006). When people feel genuinely connected to their leaders and peers, they are more likely to persevere, realign quickly when priorities shift, and support each other through uncertainty.
The Power of Kindness in Civic Culture
Kindness doesn’t typically appear in job descriptions or strategic plans—but it is often the hidden force behind successful civic collaboration.
Kindness in public service looks like:
Acknowledging someone’s contribution in a public forum
Offering patience during stressful workloads
Inviting quieter team members into the conversation
Choosing understanding over blame when tensions arise
These acts may seem small, but they foster psychological belonging, reduce interpersonal defensiveness, and pave the way for smoother coordination. In fact, Cameron’s (2012) work on positive leadership identifies kindness and compassion as organizational behaviors that significantly enhance productivity and performance. And when working with external partners—community organizations, government contractors, or residents—a team that models kindness makes a stronger, more trustworthy impression.
Connection Enhances Execution
Connection is not a detour from performance—it’s the fast lane.
When people feel valued, they bring more of themselves to the mission. Teams grounded in trust move faster, communicate more clearly, and navigate conflict constructively. They don’t burn energy on internal politics or siloed agendas. Instead, they focus on shared goals with clarity and cohesion (Boyatzis et al., 2006).
In public service, where agility and cross-functional collaboration are essential, a culture of connection accelerates strategic execution. Whether you're rolling out a new citywide initiative or responding to a community crisis, relationships amplify results.
Closing Reflection: Connection Is Infrastructure
Governments regularly invest in physical infrastructure—roads, technology, capital projects. But we must also invest in relational infrastructure: the trust, empathy, and communication that make everything else function.
That means developing leaders who model emotional intelligence. It means treating kindness as a professional competency. And it means recognizing that high-performing teams aren’t built through compliance alone—they’re built through connection.
Every strategic objective, every public service, every innovation is powered by people. When those people feel respected, supported, and genuinely connected, their impact ripples far beyond any single task or department.
Sidebar: A Generational Shift in Leadership
Today’s emphasis on kindness, emotional intelligence, and human-centered leadership marks a significant shift from traditional norms. Previous generations often prioritized hierarchy, authority, and technical skill—believing that professionalism meant leaving emotion at the door.
But today’s leadership landscape has evolved. Public sector leaders are now expected to balance execution with empathy. Younger professionals entering civic work expect transparency, meaning, and inclusion in the workplace. They are motivated by purpose and thrive in environments of psychological safety (Edmondson, 2019).
This generational shift doesn't diminish the value of accountability—it redefines it. By combining clear expectations with relational care, today’s leaders are better equipped to navigate complexity, build inclusive teams, and achieve long-term impact.
Kindness is no longer a soft alternative to strong leadership. It’s a new kind of strength—one that accelerates trust, deepens commitment, and drives results across systems.
References
Boyatzis, R. E., Smith, M. L., & Blaize, N. (2006). Developing sustainable leaders through coaching and compassion. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 5(1), 8–24. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2006.20388381
Cameron, K. (2012). Positive leadership: Strategies for extraordinary performance. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Edmondson, A. C. (2019). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. Wiley.
Grant, A. M. (2021). Think again: The power of knowing what you don't know. Viking.