Being cruel to be kind

Lately I've been thinking about "being cruel to be kind". I'm against it. Why not just be kind?

It's possible to have clear boundaries and to lead/parent/live with clarity and accountability for yourself and others while still treating people with respect and compassion.

That might (will) mean making decisions other people don't like, but that's very different from treating people with contempt and indifference.

You may need to tell your child they can't go to a particular party or have a particular gadget they desperately want. They won't like it but they won't experience it as cruel or contemptuous if you deliver the news from a place of respect and compassion, rather than brushing them off as annoying or ridiculous.

You may need to tell someone they no longer have a job. If that's done with respect and compassion, it will be a very different experience for them (and you) versus if you do it cruelly.

You may even need to cut someone off from your life if they are dangerous and damaging to you. That isn't cruel. It's respecting yourself without seeking to harm the other person.

What's that saying? "It is only when a mosquito lands on your testicle that you realise that there's always a way to solve a problem without violence"... Same for any moment you're about to be cruel.

Take care of yourself and others,

Madeleine

I work with clients from executive leadership teams to the front line, helping them to make clearer decisions about what they want, and adapt faster and more easily to change and transition. I use deep purpose as a key to unlock powerful thriving in work and life.

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