Nice
guys do not finish last. According to advertising executives Linda
Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval,
authors of The Power of Nice, kindness, generosity, empathy pay off
even in the business
world.
Kindness is a great way to make a positive impression, and those
impressions can come back multiplied. In addition, you never know when the one
you’re showing kindness to someone who has the will and means to extravagantly
repay you, though you shouldn’t go around with a fake generosity hoping some of
your supposed goodness will bind a jinni to your service. Be good because it is
good, but don’t be surprised when the little people you help along the way
become big people who want to help you.
Niceness should become automatic, a way you treat people all the time,
whoever they are. You’ll know when you’re being genuine and when you’re being
fake, and let the knowledge lead you to be genuinely kind. Extend it to cover
even your rivals; if you can’t convert them, you’ll neutralize them to some
degree.
Even if you don’t have much to give, be a giver. Even little gestures,
smiles, and a helpful hand count. One of the seemingly most simple, but in
practice difficult, things to give is your attention. Few
things move a person as much as the sense that someone genuinely listened to
them; and it is a great way to learn.
The skill at the heart of all this is empathy. I use the word skill
because Kaplan Thaler and Koval write about how people can improve their
empathy. First, listen to the emotion words; people are telling you how they
feel if you will listen. Consider how what you say and do will affect others.
Finally, don’t assume the actions of others are about you; they have other
stuff going on.
This is a short book and full of anecdotes. If you’re looking for a
quick read touching on the emotional side of business with practical advice,
this will suit your needs.
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