Intergenerational Stories of Kindness: A Catalyst for Bouncing Back
Kindness in Management and Organizational Studies
ISBN: 978-1-80262-158-7, eISBN: 978-1-80262-157-0
Publication date: 26 January 2022
Abstract
In this chapter the author examines intergenerational transmissions of kindness through four generations of women in her family. Employing an autoethnographic approach (Ellis, Adams, & Bochner, 2011), the author shares her journey of understanding the importance of studying kindness in academia by acting as the connective tissue between the stories and how the author finds the meaning of kindness through her own experiences and interpretations. Using a research methodology called sensebreaking (Pratt, 2000), the author reveals how kindness acts as a catalyst to help recover from challenges by nurturing self-worth. Sensebreaking undoes meaning-making by disrupting the sensemaking process when contradictory evidence causes individuals to question their interpretation (Mirbabaie & Marx, 2020). The author demonstrates how these women struggle with the deep-rooted need for independence and dignity when facing a challenge and define random acts of kindness from others. Across the four generations, a theme of generativity is revealed, showing a need to nurture and guide younger people and contribute to the next generation.
Keywords
Citation
Weigand, H., Mackinnon, H., Weigand, E. and Hepworth, J. (2022), "Intergenerational Stories of Kindness: A Catalyst for Bouncing Back", Thomason, M. (Ed.) Kindness in Management and Organizational Studies (Kindness at Work), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 127-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80262-157-020221009
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2022 Heidi Weigand, Heather Mackinnon, Erica Weigand and Jessica Hepworth. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited