Using common courtesy to reclaim humanity.

This post is a plea to reclaim kindness bit by bit through everyday acts that acknowledge our shared humanity.

I don’t need to tell you how much things have spiraled out of control. People are angry, scared, worried about democracy, AI, the planet, healthcare, and simply making ends meet.

And amidst all of that – or maybe, as a direct result – we’ve forgotten simple gestures that show we care.  

I see it as a search consultant. The relief – and the thank you notes! – from job applicants when I let them know that I’ve received their materials. All I’m doing is thanking each one for their submission – which often includes a carefully crafted cover letter – and informing them about the timeline for the committee’s decision-making. But because society has normalized the practice of treating job applicants like commodities instead of people, that tiny bit of humanity stands out.

I realize that the standardized non-response protocol that is in place at most organizations is driven by the same technology that has made it all too easy for people to apply for jobs – in truth, the sheer number of applicants can overwhelm employers. But if automation can be used to drive interest in a position, why can’t it be used to respond to applicants?

Worse, last week I had lunch with a friend who was ghosted after being a finalist for a job. She found out she hadn’t been selected after she saw a post on LinkedIn announcing who had.

Ouch!

Sadly, I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard that same story. 

I feel it as a consultant too. Nonprofits call me, spend hours meeting with me, ask me to prepare proposals that are specific to their needs, and on the occasion when they select someone else, they don’t bother contacting me. Unlike standard job seekers, I have more than enough work to keep me busy, but it still rankles. I am human.

Let’s step back from transactional relationships and bring back common courtesy.

Even better, think about ways in which you can touch people with kindness every day. A smile, a wave, a thank you. A simple acknowledgement that you truly see people, and in doing so, respect their humanity.   

And, while you’re at it, if you have an hour to spare, please consider donating blood. It’s an act of kindness that is easy to do and means the world to those who need it.

Pat

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Pat Libby is a change management consultant working principally with nonprofit corporations. She is author of The Empowered Citizens Guide: 10 Steps to Passing a Law that Matters to You, Oxford University Press, The Lobbying Strategy Handbook, second edition, Oxford University Press, and Cases in Nonprofit Management, SAGE. She has served as an academic, senior executive, board member, and consultant to innumerable nonprofit organizations and foundations for more than three decades.

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