Random Acts of Kindness

Random Acts of Kindness

BY ASHLEY RYAN & JOHN PEREZ

In a town as communitydriven as Claremont, local changemakers are setting the standard for success through empathy, compassion, and leadership that puts people first.

Strong communities start with strong leaders, and few things encourage productivity quite like the power of compassion. While there was a shift toward a slower pace of living during the COVID-19 pandemic, life has largely returned to its “normal” rhythm. But Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report reveals that employee engagement is at an all-time low globally, with 77% of respondents reporting they’re not motivated or invested in their work. So, what can business leaders do to address the lack of engagement?

“There are so many things to do, and it’s because of the kindness of the community as a collective.”

Some believe leading with kindness is the answer. Why? Leading with kindness has been shown to cultivate more innovative workplaces with higher productivity. Employees who feel seen and valued are likelier to remain committed to their roles. Employees who do not often feel valued begin to disengage until they find an opportunity to leave. According to a Southern California-based workforce solutions and staffing company, Dexian, the latest Humankindex Report states 90% of companies that prioritize kindness in leadership believe they have an advantage over their competitors.

In Claremont, kindness runs deep. It shows up in city initiatives like Project Adopt, the Volunteer Recognition Event, and the inclusive Spring Celebration, each rooted in care and connection. And beyond city programming, the same values are found throughout the town’s business community.

Kathleen Fariss, who stepped into her role as CEO of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce earlier this year, believes that kindness is more than a value in Claremont: it is the foundation. With decades of leadership experience and a career rooted in coaching, strategy, and service, she sees the community’s warmth as both its strength and its signature.

“Our community in Claremont makes it a place that you want to visit, stay, maybe move, send your child to college,” she reflects. “There are so many things to do, and it’s because of the kindness of the community as a collective.”

For Kathleen, kindness in leadership is not performative. It is practiced in how leaders listen, in how they make decisions, and in how they walk alongside others through change. In her new role, she sees how compassion and collaboration shape not only the Chamber’s culture but the broader fabric of Claremont’s business community. Kindness, as she describes it, is not just a virtue. It is a strategy for trust, connection, and long-term growth.

“The best leaders not only helped me to develop my skills and encouraged my growth, they created strong bonds of mutual respect and trust.”

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

Every leader brings a different voice to the table, and with that, a different interpretation of what it means to lead with kindness.

For John Neiuber, Chair of the Claremont Chamber executive board and former CEO of nonprofit Trinity Youth Services (TYS), leadership starts with listening. “A lot of people think that communication is talking, but it’s really listening, and the ability to have empathy and to understand what somebody else is going through,” he explains.

Cher Ofstedahl, who succeeded Neiuber as CEO of Trinity Youth Services in 2020, says his example helped shape her approach. “Over the course of my working life, I have been exposed to a variety of supervision and leadership styles, from those bordering on abusive to those which encouraged and empowered me to do my best work,” she says. “I can barely remember the names of the leaders who were unkind. The best leaders not only helped me to develop my skills and encouraged my growth, they created strong bonds of mutual respect and trust.”

Ofstedahl continues to carry that mindset forward. “Many leaders equate kindness with weakness and, in my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth,” she adds. “At its strongest and most effective, kindness encompasses empathy, respect, and care for the work, those performing the work, and those receiving the benefits or services offered.”

Her philosophy is anchored in care and accountability. “I believe leading with love, in the context of passion and purpose, naturally entices others to follow,” she says.

Kindness is not confined to the nonprofit world. Emily Moultrie, co-founder of Claremont Craft Ales and board member for both the Chamber and the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, sees compassionate leadership as an ongoing practice of seeing people clearly and meeting them where they are.

“Your job is just one small part of your life,” she says. “It’s an important part, but it’s not the end-all, be-all. I think understanding that is a good quality for an employer.”

Moultrie was raised around small business in Claremont. The values she learned early on are still present in how she leads today.

“I’m in charge, but I’m not actually in charge,” she says with a smile. “The people who are doing it in that moment, they’re in charge. We’re all responsible and I’m there to help. Everyone just has their own knowledge and their own gifts, and the more they get shared, the better everyone is.”

STORIES THAT INSPIRE

Each of these leaders has a story of how kindness shaped not just their organizations, but their own lives.

Claremont native Ryan Zimmerman felt the impact long before he became a real estate professional. Years ago, before having children of his own, he coached a local youth soccer team, and the experience changed him. “It inspired me to write a book called ‘Coach’s Advice,’” he says. “It has nothing to do with sports, but it’s about me giving advice to this group of guys for seven years.”

Zimmerman describes the quiet transformation that took place as he mentored his players. “Getting involved in your community can have impacts far greater than just financial,” he says. The lessons he gained in mentorship now guide his work at Concierge Realty Group, where he and business partner Mason Prophet lead with a people-first mindset.

“It’s what we feel is important, to be active and involved in the community and to create a supportive atmosphere,” Zimmerman says. That spirit shows up in many ways, from sponsoring local nonprofit events to giving time on boards for the Chamber, Mt. San Antonio Gardens, and the Claremont Kiwanis.

“Getting involved in your community can have impacts far greater than just financial.”

NOT WITHOUT TESTING

Some leaders found themselves tested in extraordinary circumstances. When Neiuber took over as CEO of Trinity Youth Services in 1991, the nonprofit was on the brink of bankruptcy. His approach was to lead with honesty and transparency.

“I knew that people needed their concerns to be heard,” he says. “My approach is to tell everyone everything so they understand where you’re coming from and what you’re trying to accomplish. I think by extending that kindness and giving them a voice, I helped them believe in what we were doing. People got behind it, and we turned the company completely around.”

Ofstedahl, too, was tested early in her tenure. She stepped into the CEO role just one month before the pandemic began. With a team providing 24/7 care for vulnerable youth, remote work was not an option. But transparency, shared responsibility, and community support made the difference.

“We were able to encourage and enlist staff to show up every day because they felt we were all in it together, that they were appreciated and cared for,” she says. The experience, she adds, reminded her that kindness and responsibility are not at odds. “When tough decisions need to be made, the responsibility falls to the leader,” she says. “How those decisions are communicated and implemented can still be handled with transparency and integrity.”

Tom Hsieh, a graduate of Claremont Graduate University’s Drucker School of Management and founder of both SplinterRock and New Pacific Airlines, recalls a leadership moment grounded in both values and vulnerability. As campaign manager for Pomona mayor Tim Sandoval, Hsieh made the bold decision to open their strategy meetings to their opponents.

“There were four others. Three of them took us up on the offer, came to our meeting and then dropped out of the race,” he says.

“After attending our meeting, they said, ‘Not only do you voice core values that we believe in, but you’re living it out in the end. We have a better chance of winning together.’ There was a heart, and a root of kindness in that.”

EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP, EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT

Kindness, these leaders agree, is not just a leadership style. It is a way of showing up in the world.

“When people know that their ideas and opinions and observations are going to be heard and taken into account, all sorts of great things happen,” Moultrie says. “I would not be where I am if the leaders in my community hadn’t shown kindness and empathy and understanding and a willingness to listen to me, to be excited and interested in what I wanted to do.”

She adds that leadership can also mean embracing differences and amplifying others. “The more gifts that we have collectively, the more creativity, the more people with different ways of thinking, will only make things better,” she says.

“I would not be where I am if the leaders in my community hadn’t shown kindness and empathy...”

Neiuber agrees. “Give up the idea of having authority, because that can work really well in a crisis situation, but it never works afterward to be an authoritarian,” he explains. “People don’t respond well. The way you get people to act kindly is by modeling it for them, so they can see.”

For Ofstedahl, the most enduring leadership lessons come from listening closely to those on the front lines. “When employees feel their opinions and ideas matter and that they can contribute in a safe, non-judgmental space, then innovation and productivity flourish,” she says. “Those closest to the actual work are likely to have a level of expertise their leaders do not have and are more likely to have practical, rather than theoretical, ideas for positive improvement.”

In the end, the case for kind leadership is not just philosophical. It is personal. It is cultural. And as these leaders demonstrate, it is powerful. As a business leader, or any leader, what should you do next to lead with kindness? Cher Ofstedahl suggests, “Do your research. Check the science. Connect with other leaders you admire, and those you lead will thank you. Your life will be markedly improved [and] the world will be a better place.”