On April 16, 2009, Kim Hamer watched her 44-yr-old husband take his last breath. During his illness and after his death, she was amazed by the helpful ways their coworkers, bosses, friends, and family supported them. Kim started calling their kind actions "acts of love".
After the death of her husband, Kim, an HR leader, noticed how little guidance leaders received when navigating cancer, health crisis, or death on their team. She knew their lack of knowledge negatively affected morale, employee engagement, and productivity. She set out to change that. Combining her personal experience with her professional knowledge and leadership skills, Kim launched her business to support leaders and coworkers when cancer (or any health crisis) affects a team member.
Kim Hamer is the author of 100 Acts of Love: A Girlfriend's Guide to Loving Your Friend through Cancer or Loss, an easy-to-read book filled with 100 practical, quick, and effective ways to support a friend or coworker. She’s also an HR leader and speaker who lives in Los Angeles where she tries not to bother her relatively well-behaved college-aged children.
Today, co-hosts Mark Bello and Bob Gatty talk about all of this and we’ll ask Kim to share with us what she believes are some Perfect Ways to Help Your Friend with Cancer and Ways that they can Get the Support they Need.
Questions:
Bob: Talk to us about why you are in this work.
Mark: Why do you think people struggle with what to do or say?
Bob: What should I say to someone with cancer as a friend, as a coworker, as a boss?
Mark: Are there things that we shouldn’t say? What’s NOT helpful?
Bob: How can a leader balance the employee's need for support and the team's needs to get work done?
Mark: How can we better manage death in the workplace if it’s a coworker?
Bob: How can a manager support an employee who is grieving?
Mark: I would presume that a large percentage of those diagnosed with cancer are in their prime working years. Am I right?
What are the side effects of cancer on a team?
Bob: Do all people with cancer stop working?
Bob: Your book , 100 Acts of Love, isn’t just focused on the workplace, right? It also contains valuable insight for how to support a friend who’s been diagnosed with a serious illness, like cancer. Correct?
Mark: What is the one big great lesson you want everyone listening to this to know?
Mark justice question…
Book Sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n2J9NoGyGOZAcgKpdbT71Mm0NxtR7Hnw/view?usp=sharing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/100actsoflove/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimthamer
Website: https://www.100actsoflove.com/
Book: https://www.100actsoflove.com/shop
