Brené with James Rhee on Kindness, Math, and the Power of Goodwill
Mar 28, 2022
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James Rhee, a goodwill strategist, discusses the power of kindness and goodwill in our lives, beyond just revenue. He emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives and shares insights on impactful ventures and transitioning to impact investing. Rhee explores the intersection of kindness and success in the corporate world, highlighting the value of transformative leadership. The conversation also touches on childhood memories, small business insurance plans, and the importance of embracing kindness and generosity in entrepreneurship.
Kindness can lead to groundbreaking impact without expecting rewards.
Balancing kindness and math can drive genuine success beyond financial measures.
Prioritizing intrinsic qualities like kindness and empathy can foster sustainable impact and success in leadership.
Deep dives
The Power of Kindness and Generosity
James Reid shares an impactful story from his TED Talk about a red helicopter that set him on a path of kindness and generosity at a young age, emphasizing the importance of being kind without expecting rewards. He discusses how kindness and math can intersect, leading to genuine impact and success beyond financial measures. Reid's experience with Ashley Stewart highlights the significance of diverse ecosystems and multi-stakeholder capitalism, showcasing the power of goodwill and purpose-driven strategies.
Unexpected Support and Compassion
Amid personal challenges like his father's illness and daughter's accident, Reid experiences overwhelming support from his company and women employees, highlighting the power of genuine empathy and compassion within organizations. This unexpected solidarity underscores the importance of building a culture where people support one another, transcending traditional boundaries and creating a sense of belonging and safety.
The Value of Social Capital in Leadership
Reid shares insights on leadership, emphasizing the significance of harnessing duality and embracing paradoxes for transformational leadership. He stresses the importance of balancing financial and social capital, fostering accountability, and prioritizing values beyond monetary success. Reid's leadership philosophy revolves around nurturing intrinsic qualities like kindness, empathy, and generosity to drive sustainable impact and success in both business and personal realms.
Championing Kindness and Ethics in Business
Through his experiences with Ashley Stewart and impact investing, James Reid advocates for incorporating kindness and ethics into business strategies, challenging traditional metrics of success. He explores the concept of goodwill beyond accounting conventions, emphasizing the long-term value of authentic relationships, social capital, and integrity in business practices. By prioritizing kindness and ethics, Reid demonstrates how leadership can inspire positive change and holistic well-being in organizations and communities.
Journey Towards Empathy, Hope, and Connection
Reid's mini mixtape selection reflects a thematic journey of vulnerability, empathy, and connection, symbolizing his leadership approach and personal philosophy. Each song represents a narrative of hope, resilience, and human connection, echoing the themes of the red helicopter story, the power of genuine support, and the transformational impact of kindness in leadership. Reid's eclectic musical choices mirror his leadership values and the essence of his inspirational journey towards empathy, hope, and meaningful connections.
This is a conversation about how a simple act of generosity can put someone on a new, groundbreaking course. I’m talking with James Rhee — acclaimed impact leader, entrepreneur, educator, investor, and goodwill strategist — about why kindness matters. He leads with a powerful combination of kindness and math and demonstrates how revenue doesn’t define our lives. We unpack the power of goodwill — which is actually an accounting term — and how it affects many other things that we need to be thinking about. He also shares a number of tools, lenses, and music we should be considering as we define what success looks like for us and our organizations. This conversation was an infusion of hope and possibility for me about the power of what we can be.