Bonnie Hayden Cheng

Bonnie Hayden Cheng, a management professor at City University of Hong Kong, digs into the transformative power of kindness in workplaces. She introduces the 'Return on Kindness' metric, showing how kind cultures lead to happier, more productive employees. Cheng shares her RISE framework, highlighting role modeling and supportive actions as keys to kind leadership. The discussion contrasts kindness with niceness and emphasizes the importance of honest, compassionate feedback. Overall, it’s a powerful guide to fostering a culture of kindness that benefits everyone.

Work can be stressful and downright anxiety-inducing; but we also know that bit of anxiety that comes from bumping up against a deadline or having to give a big presentation to the board can spark positive energy and creativity. Bonnie Hayden Cheng, associate professor at HKU Business School, looks at the ways in which our jobs can create anxiety, and shares science-backed guidance on how to get the best out of your anxiety.The Anxious Achiever is nominated for a Signal Award. Head to their website to vote for The Anxious Achiever as Best Commute Podcast: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2022/shows/general/best-commute-podcast

In this conversation, Graham Allcott, founder of Think Productive and author of "KIND: The quiet power of kindness at work," alongside Bonnie Hayden Cheng, management professor and author of "The Return on Kindness," dive into the transformative power of kindness in leadership. They discuss how kindness boosts employee engagement and productivity, the distinction between kindness and niceness, and strategies for maintaining kindness even in tricky team dynamics. Their insights shed light on how empathy can lead to stronger workplace relationships and better outcomes.