September 5, 2007
The Power of Nice
It's great to see that nice is making a comeback. The latest engrossing read from BzzAgent* is The Power of Nice by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, and though I approach all business and leadership books with a heaping cup of skepticism, these two authors have converted me to their side.
Yes, I know. Every new author has their "trick" to managing well and succeeding in business: The Eggplant CEO, Five Thousand and One Team-Building Games, The Indiana Jones Manager: Whipping Your Team into Shape. But Nice doesn't feel like a trick. Nice is something we lost along the way when we mistakenly started believing that hurting others was a sign of success.
All too often, there's an unspoken excuse for an ornery CEO -- there's a belief that his or her high rank affords them the allowance to be curt, aloof and unconcerned with everyone on the company's lower rungs. That meanness trickles down into every crevice of an organization; causing employees to grit their teeth and steel themselves against co-workers encroaching on their territory.
But IDG founder and chairman Pat McGovern proves the value of nice. He travels the world each year personally handing a holiday bonus to each employee. I participated in this ritual three times at CXO Media and it had an astounding effect on morale. People not only spruced up their desks in anticipation of "Pat Day," but they reviewed their previous year's accomplishments and their department's stats and goals, because Pat just might bring it up in conversation. You don't get just a handshake and hello; you get a compliment, a comment, or a question tailored to you.
When Pat leaves, the office is on a high for the rest of the day, and not just because of the extra cash. You hear whispers of, "What did he say to you?!" for hours afterward in cubes and hallways. No one is under the illusion that he'll be back next week to invite them to lunch, but everyone appreciates Pat's honest attempt to forge a connection and value our contribution toward his vision.
And just as niceness spreads like warmth, rudeness can also have an insidious effect -- like a germ. Last year, Dave's frequent-flier status got our family bumped to first class on the way to Disneyworld. You can imagine our excitement at the auspicious start to our trip; however, after we were seated in those spacious seats with a drink in hand, something unexpected happened.
As the rest of the passengers walked past our rows to their seats, nearly three-quarters had a negative reaction toward us. Some shot us nasty looks. Others made catty, sarcastic comments like, "Must be nice to afford this," and "Enjoying your snack? We'll get ours in about an hour." A few people even directed their barbs to eight-year-old Trevor.
Each one of those people left a negative impression upon us with their petty snipes. Little did they think that they would later be standing alongside us for 45 minutes in line for a Disney bus at the airport, in awkward silence. What you do can come back to bite you. Try nice.
* As a BzzAgent, I try sample products and share my opinions. Sometimes I even blog about items if they really strike my fancy. If you'd like to learn more, go to BzzAgent.com.
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