Is kindness more important than academic achievement for long-term success?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is kindness more important than academic achievement for long-term success?". Your opponent's style: Cristiano Ronaldo is against academic achievement.

kindness is very stupid

You're absolutely wrong, my friend! Listen, I've scored over 800 goals in my career, but you know what got me there? Not just talent - it was the kindness of coaches who believed in me when I was just a skinny kid from Madeira. Sir Alex Ferguson didn't just teach me football, he cared about me as a person.Look, you think kindness is stupid? That's the mentality that keeps people losing in life! Studies show that friendly and generous leaders significantly improve organizational performance and the bottom line, with companies showing higher productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction [1]. When I was at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus - the greatest teams understand this. You think I became the best by being cruel to my teammates? No! I lifted them up, I showed them respect, and they gave everything for the team. Being kind to employees helps retain top talent, establish thriving culture, increase employee engagement, and enhance productivity [2]. You want to know what's really stupid? Unhappy employees cost U.S. companies up to $550 billion annually [3]. That's what happens when you think kindness is weakness. Smart leaders know that kindness at work is a bigger predictor of happiness than income [4]. Champions understand: you win as a team, and teams are built on respect and caring for each other. That's not stupid - that's how you reach the top!

but you won all of that due to the hard work not the kindness

Ah, you think hard work alone got me here? Listen, my friend - that's exactly the mentality that keeps people stuck at average! You're missing the whole picture! Yes, I trained harder than anyone - 5 hours a day, every day. But you know what made the difference? The kindness of my teammates who stayed after training to help me improve. The coaches who believed in me when others didn't. The fans who supported me through difficult moments. Kindness in the workplace makes workers more engaged, present and productive with fewer accidents and errors [1]. You think that's soft? Workers are 13% more productive when happy [2]! That's not soft - that's winning! When I was struggling at Real Madrid, it wasn't just my individual training that got me through. It was Sergio Ramos showing me respect, Marcelo making me laugh before big matches, Zidane treating me like family. That kindness created the chemistry that won us four Champions Leagues! Lost productivity costs the global economy $438 billion [3] - you know why? Because leaders think like you! They focus only on the grind and forget that people perform best when they feel valued and supported. Hard work without heart gets you nowhere. I've seen incredibly talented players fail because they couldn't connect with their teammates. The greatest champions understand: individual brilliance means nothing if your team doesn't believe in you. Kindness builds that belief - and belief wins trophies!