Wasn't there a recent study don't by google that determined that their most successful teams were based on social sensitivity and ability to know when one has gone too far? I would consider that kindness.
Not really, the study found that psychological safety mattered. You don't feel psychologically safe when you notice that people say that you did good no matter how much you screwed up, instead you stop trusting all praise you get (impostor syndrome).
They even highlighted an example where they say that bluntness can be positive in the article about the study:
> When Rozovsky and her Google colleagues encountered the concept of psychological safety in academic papers, it was as if everything suddenly fell into place. One engineer, for instance, had told researchers that his team leader was ‘‘direct and straightforward, which creates a safe space for you to take risks.’’ That team, researchers estimated, was among Google’s accomplished groups.
> Not really, the study found that psychological safety mattered. You don't feel psychologically safe when you notice that people say that you did good no matter how much you screwed up, instead you stop trusting all praise you get (impostor syndrome).
You absolutely should not praise people for screwing up. That's not in any way kind.
Yes, but when people who lacks social skills try to be nicer they often start praising screw-ups. The answer isn't as simple as "be nice" or "be blunt", you need to be able to read the situation and act accordingly but not everyone can do that. But for those who lacks social skills I strongly prefer those who are blunt, otherwise you will get situations where you get fired for low performance even though everyone said that it was fine up until the last day.
I'd certainly want to provide advice more nuanced than "be nice". Don't change or omit the message in an effort to show empathy and kindness. Always keep in mind what you're trying to convey.
