Reflecting on the many and varied acts of work-related-kindness (yes, that’s right work-related kindness, not work-related stress) over the years, I see that scientists have recently confirmed it’s not just the receiver who benefits from the kindness but the giver too.
Regions of the brain that react to pain are – apparently – actually deactivated by the experience of giving. So, we have no need to feel blush-inducing humility at the euphoria a simple round of post-pitch applause makes our agency team feel. Or about the way the table knocking from our German clients can reduce us to raw, uncontrolled emotion. No. That’s not self-indulgence after all. Not for selfish reasons we take praise graciously. I knew that must be the case. Obviously, we do it to help our clients reap the reward for the kindness.
A separate team of researchers studying elite athletes (read agencies) have also arrived at an interesting conclusion: that the very best performers are those supported by the most empathetic coaches (read clients), the ones who swathe them in ‘liking, warmth and interest.’ Not the ones who scream at them. That may be about as heady as an academic report gets, but the moral of all that science is clear: heaping love upon your agency is the best performance strategy, whichever way you look at it. Happily, we get a lot of love and a lot of loyalty.
But, for anyone who might need a reminder, here’s our checklist – just to make sure the love has a procurement framework: 1. Allow us to inspire you irrationally sometimes. 2. Give us your uncontrolled adolescent enthusiasm. 3. Hold us accountable for the right things. 4. Be a patron of our work. 5. And, if you’re ever disappointed, tell us with clarity. And in the belief that we’ll crack it next time.
Happiness guaranteed.
Please check your inboxes for client testimonial requests, made only in the interests of our clients’ wellbeing – obviously – not for ourselves.