Page 12 - BusinessWest November 24, 2025

EDITORIAL >>
Fertile Ground in the 413
Innovation and collaboration.
As he steps down from his leadership post next month, Rick
Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Eco-
nomic Development Council (EDC), has been touting those two
elements among what makes the Western Mass. economy tick, and
what it needs to continue to build on in the coming years.
And those were two words he drew on when it was announced
earlier this month that Western Mass. has been designated as both
a Quantum Technology TechHub and a Food Science TechHub
through the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
In addition to the two designations, funding in the form of $1
million to advance a feasibility and design study of a quantum sup-
ply chain accelerator (QSCA) was awarded to Springfield Technical
Community College.
The QSCA will anchor the next phase of the Commonwealth’s
quantum strategy, building on the foundation established in Holyoke
at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Cen-
ter (MGHPCC) and the state’s first quantum computing complex
launched with QuEra Computing Inc. The accelerator will be the
first regional facility of its kind to drive commercialization, support
startups, and strengthen advanced manufacturing supply chains
across the Pioneer Valley.
In a recent conversation with BusinessWest, Sullivan said it’s
OPINION >>
impossible to know for sure what the economy will look like a
decade or two down the road, or what will be driving it, but the
EDC and other local leaders have been proactive about considering
that question and pushing for strategic investments.
“These are sectors that are going be more important tomorrow
and 10 years down the road than they even are today,” he said of
these evolving industries. “AI is booming, and quantum is booming,
and the issues of food science and food scarcity, water delivery sys-
tems and water scarcity … those problems are only going to grow
and be more important in 10 years.”
We’ve been talking about innovation and collaboration for many
years at BusinessWest because we recognize how those concepts
have raised the profile and economic strength of a region that
sometimes gets forgotten out east — concept that, when put into
action, create not just vibrancy, but jobs, and a promising future.
“Springfield, the City of Firsts, has a proud legacy of innovation,”
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal said regarding the QSCA. “This award will
help solidify Springfield’s position as a leader in this new technolog-
ical era, placing the city at the forefront of advancement in quantum
technology.”
We believe this project, and the TechHub designations, have that
potential — and more. BW
Radical Kindness in the Workplace
BY ALLISON EBNER
In our workplaces, we talk a lot about innovation, agility, and
results in leadership circles. But there’s one strategy that often
gets overlooked, dismissed as soft or secondary: kindness. Not the
passive, conflict-avoidant version of niceness that lets problems fes-
ter, but radical kindness — the deliberate choice to lead with empa-
thy, respect, and genuine care, even when it’s difficult.
In today’s workplaces, where tensions run high and perspectives
often clash, radical kindness isn’t just a pleasant ideal; it’s a strate-
gic imperative. As leaders, we set the tone for how our teams navi-
gate disagreement, handle stress, and treat one another. The ques-
tion isn’t whether we can afford to prioritize kindness. It’s whether
we can afford not to.
Radical kindness is not about creating false harmony or avoid-
ing tough conversations. It’s not about being permissive or lowering
standards. Radical kindness means approaching every interaction
with the assumption that people are doing their best, that their per-
spectives matter, and that respectful dialogue can coexist with high
expectations.
When people feel genuinely valued, they take smart risks, share
ideas freely, and collaborate more effectively. When they don’t, they
shut down, disengage, or leave. The culture we create as leaders
directly impacts our bottom line. Here are some specific behaviors
that make radical kindness tangible:
• Assume positive intent first. When someone disagrees with
your decision or misses a deadline, your first response sets the
tone. Starting from the assumption that they’re trying to do good
work — rather than that they’re incompetent or difficult — com-
pletely changes the conversation. Instead of “why didn’t you get this
done?” try “help me understand what got in the way.”
• Listen to understand, not to respond. In your next meeting, try
this: before offering your perspective, repeat back what you heard
from the other person. This simple act — “so what I’m hearing is
you’re concerned about the timeline because of the resource con-
straints, is that right?” — demonstrates respect and often de-esca-
lates tension before it builds.
• Acknowledge the person behind the opinion. Before diving into
why you disagree with someone’s approach, recognize the validity
of their concerns or perspective. “I can see why you’d feel that way
12 << OPINION >>
NOVEMBER 24, 2025
given your experience with the last product launch” goes a long way
toward keeping dialogue open, even as you chart a different course.
This isn’t about compromising your position — it’s about honoring
their contribution to the conversation.
• Share your own uncertainties. When leaders admit “I’m still
thinking through this” or “I was wrong about that,” it gives everyone
permission to be human. Vulnerability from the top creates cultures
where learning matters more than being right. Intellectual humility
is one of the most powerful forms of radical kindness because it lev-
els the playing field and invites collaboration.
• Notice the small moments. Greet people warmly when you see
them. Ask about their weekend and actually listen to the answer.
Notice when someone seems off and check in privately. Celebrate
small wins publicly. These micro-moments accumulate into culture.
They signal that people matter, not just their output.
Radical kindness doesn’t mean eliminating different viewpoints.
It means making disagreement productive rather than destructive.
The healthiest teams I’ve seen have vigorous debates about ideas
while maintaining absolute respect for people.
The beautiful thing about radical kindness is its multiplier effect.
When you consistently model this behavior, it gives others permis-
sion to do the same. One kind interaction can shift someone’s entire
day, which shifts how they treat their colleagues, which shifts team
dynamics, which shifts organizational culture.
Leading with radical kindness requires courage. It means stay-
ing open when it would be easier to shut down. It means extending
grace when you’re frustrated. It means believing in people’s poten-
tial even when they’re struggling.
But this is exactly the kind of leadership our workplaces need
right now. In a world that often rewards cynicism and self-protec-
tion, choosing radical kindness is the most reliable path to creating
teams where people do their best work, treat each other well, and
actually want to show up each day. BW
Allison Ebner is president of the Employers Assoc. of the
NorthEast. This article is abridged from one that first appeared
on the EANE blog. It can be read in full at eane.org.
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