A Kindergarten Report Card… and a Corporate Challenge
A Kindergarten Report Card… and a Corporate Challenge
This week, my daughter brought home her kindergarten report card.
Between the handwriting scores and phonics notes was a section that stopped me in my tracks — Relationship Attributes.
Not KPIs.
Not quarterly metrics.
Not “stretch goals.”
Just… the fundamentals of being a good human in community:
• Joyful — Approaches daily life with gratitude
• Peaceful — Functions well without constant noise or chaos
• Dutiful — Acts from principle, not impulse
• Self‑Controlled — Manages emotions and accepts “no”
• Attentive — Stays present to the task and the people in front of them
• Obedient — Responds willingly to appropriate authority
• Conciliatory — Seeks truth, justice, and reconciliation in conflict
• Helpful — Gives and receives assistance peacefully
• Respectful — Communicates honestly and appropriately
• Kind — Aims for what is good through words and actions
• Truthful — Avoids exaggeration and speaks with care
Reading this, I couldn’t help but think:
What would our boardrooms, business meetings, and break‑room coffee conversations look like if adults were held to the same standards we expect of five‑year‑olds?
At Intentional Charity, this is more than a thought experiment.
It’s the core of our work with philanthropists, CEOs, and community leaders:
Civility is not soft. It is strategic. It is catalytic. It is the foundation of community buy‑in.
Capital campaigns stall when egos flare.
Boards fracture when respect erodes.
Partnerships fail when truthfulness becomes optional.
But when leaders model the same relational habits we teach in kindergarten, generosity grows, trust deepens, and communities move forward together.
So here’s my challenge — to myself, to my colleagues, and to every leader building something that outlasts them:
Choose one kindergarten attribute and practice it intentionally this week.
Joy. Peace. Duty. Self‑control. Attention. Respect. Kindness. Truthfulness.
If our children can do it, surely we can too.
— Intentional Charity
Building generosity. Strengthening community. One relationship at a time.
(Photo by Andre Ramos at Vecteezy)
