I’m grateful for the opportunity to interview Nick Dalton — a passionate speaker, author, consultant, and advocate for meaningful workplace change, widely respected for his kind leadership style. As an impressive thought leader in HR, he brings over 40 years of experience across all areas of HR.  His interests include change management, organisational development, and industrial/employee relations (Collective H.R.). He co-authored the book *HR (R) evolution: Change the Workplace, Change the World* (2019 – Routledge) and an article on purpose in work in the Harvard Business Review (March/April 2022). His work on Unilever’s Future of Work programme is featured in case studies used by Harvard Business School and the London School of Economics.

Can you share a  “kindness moment or memory”  that left a positive impression on you?

In a working environment, kindness can range from very simple things. A smile, sensitivity to others, providing help when someone is stressed, to systemic levels of kindness. My proudest moment was when we ran literacy classes at the factory where I was at. We had noticed how many people struggled with basic literacy, being of an age then when they had left school very young. After a course, we awarded certificates and one chap came up to thank us. He told us how the weekend before, he had read to his grandchild for the first time – and how that was so important for him.  So individuals can be kind, but organisations can be kind too

What is the role of kindness in the Future of Work?

I think that we will see a very high level of disruption due to AI in the next 5 years. Kindness here would involve facing up to this. Not sugar coating, not telling people that ‘ it will be all right’. We will all face change, and we will all need to change. This is scary. The kind approach is for organisations to help people build livelihoods, not promise jobs. Speak with people, have ‘ people’s backs’ and work through the changes with people, not do change to them.

What is the role of kindness in complex change? 

As above, kindness at a collective/ systemic level often involves managers giving up some elements of control. This scares a lot of leaders- but only when we genuinely listen and respond to people (be kind) can we enable meaningful and moral change

What is most challenging about being kind in business?

Many see kindness as soft and non-commercial. This is wrong. Kindness is hard – it involves giving up control, it involves speaking with people to build an emerging future, it means not having all the answers.

Change driven with kindness means that leaders have to trust and listen to people. Have to adopt multiple perspectives, and most importantly, be prepared to change plans if a change in plans makes sense.

Change that takes people along happens quicker and is often cheaper than top-down ‘hard-nosed’ change. Where change is kind, there is always a business case

What are your approaches to being kind? 

I think I have gotten a little kinder as I have gotten older and more experienced. I like to think I have always had empathy but this has not always translated as kindness. Having grown-up children made me kinder in the workplace, as I would often think about how I would want my kids to be treated by their boss or colleagues.

If you could advise your younger self about kindness, what would it be?

That kindness is not soft; it is a measure of your confidence and security. That kindness is a relationship ‘ tool’ that is super effective. That you will always meet people on the way up, on your way down. Simple acts of kindness make the world go round, and it is what makes us human.

If you would like to connect with Nick and find out more about his work, you can connect with him here