Kindness has a way of catching on … according to mounting research … so that even rats go out of their way to help a rat in need. At least that's what scientists discovered recently.
Why then, do people tell you they see so little benevolence in their workplaces?
It appears that rats help other rodents ... even strangers … by pulling a le
ver to open a food supply. So what's the hitch? This happens ... only if the rats had been treated to similar kindness themselves in past. Kind acts seem to stimulate the brain to give back more of the same to others.
Have you seen kindness work this way with people?
Could this explain why some workers help clients … for instance … by going the extra mile? According to scientists, it's simply because they too benefited from one kind service or another in their own relationships.
Check out Claudia Rutte’s research details from the
With a lesson or two from an average rat … what would it take to pay it forward where you work? If the research is correct … this kinness consideration could result in a sort of snowball generosity effect before too long.
What do you think?
So now we're all rats, eh Doc? :-D
Actually, I've personally seen this work in other folks... and even in me!
What makes this so difficult for some is that it takes a step of faith, so to speak, to actually DO an act of kindness for someone - especially a stranger. I mean, sometimes you have no idea how they'll react.
I've observed people getting quite defensive when someone tries to do a kind act for them. Others will accept the act graciously. You just never know - and that reaction goes a long way toward whether you'll do it again or not.
But the real reward isn't what you did for another, it's that you did something at all! It's like you say - you've built a new pathway in the brain that effectively hardwires you to do it again!
Posted by: Robert Hruzek | October 22, 2007 6:12 AM | Permalink to Comment