Episode 231: 100 Acts of Love with Kim Hamer

After her husband passed away in 2009, Kim Hamer had some huge realizations about what she needed during this period of loss. Through the process of grief, she was able to bring together her personal experience and professional expertise to build a framework for support and care in the workplace, lessons which she ultimately brought to bear in her book 100 Acts of Love.

Kim's book and the ideas she shares in her speaking engagements are simple yet profound, and are all about helping leaders navigate health crises and death, occurrences that are bound to intrude on any workplace. She believes it is possible for us all to lend an authentic and helpful hand to our colleagues in their times of need, and her lessons are all about demystifying what that actually looks like. 

In our conversation today, we get into leading by example, making space for emotions and grief, finding our own brand of support to offer, and how this can all create a foundation through which people can safely navigate the turbulence of life's more trying times. So, if you want to hear it all from the wise Kim Hamer sharing about her own process and what you can take away from it, be sure to tune in today.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• Kim talks about her late husband Art, and their marriage and family life. 
• Art's diagnosis, support from an unlikely colleague, and the blog that Kim maintained through this time.  
• The period that led up to Art's death; chemotherapy, time at home, and the effects that the illness had on his personality.   
• Exploring the lessons from Kim's book and the central tenet of support she is offering readers.
• Playing to our strengths when supporting someone in need. 
• How these ideas of care and empathy translate practically into the workplace.  
• The difficulty of understanding the effects of our own grief.  
• Kim's attitude toward dealing with overwhelming emotions within a team. 
• Where to find Kim and her work online, and more about the service she offers her clients.   
• A final lesson from Kim about expressing how much we value each other!

Transcript: Here

Additional Resources:

100 Acts of Love Website: https://www.100actsoflove.com/

Kim Hamer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimthamer/

100 Acts of Love: https://www.amazon.com/100-Acts-Love-Girlfriends-2015-05-04/dp/B01FIWM8K4

Kim Hamer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/100actsoflove/

Five Phrases Never to Say to Anyone with Cancer and What to Say Instead Phrases: https://www.100actsoflove.com/whatnottosay

Sharon Spano:

Website: sharonspano.com

Facebook: facebook.com/SharonSpanoPHD

Instagram: instagram.com/drsharonspano/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sharonspano/

Book: thetimemoneybook.com

Contact: sharon@sharonspano.com

Twitter: twitter.com/SharonSpano

The Other Side of Potential Podcast: sharonspano.com/podcast/