This morning I re-read one of my favorite “quick read” books — “The Power of Nice – How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness,” written by the team of Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. This book reminds us that “nice” companies have lower employee turnover, lower recruitment costs, and higher productivity. Nice people live longer, are healthier, and make more money. The book identifies the following Six “Power of Nice” Principles:
Positive Impressions are Like Seeds. Every time you smile at a messenger, laugh at a coworker’s joke, thank an assistant, or treat a total stranger with graciousness and respect, you throw off a positive energy wave that rolls out endlessly in all directions.
You Never Know. You really never know who that next person that you’re nice to know or how they ultimately may connect back to you in some way. It is therefore important to treat EVERYONE nicely. Simply make it a habit not to discriminate when it comes to being nice to others.
People Change. People change, grow, and take on new roles. None of us know who MIGHT become quite important to us five, ten, or twenty years from now. Again, the simple message is to treat everyone with kindness — the bank teller, the grocery store check-out clerk, the young waiter who is paying his way through school to become a doctor.
Nice Must be Automatic. It important to become skilled in the art of being nice — being nice must become a habit — something that is “second nature” to you. Small gestures and random acts of kindness can have an enormous impact.
Negative Impressions are Like Germs. Just as positive actions are like seeds, rude gestures and remarks are like germs — you may not see the impact they have on you for a while, but they are there, silently infecting you and everyone around you.
YOU Will Know. Even if you never see a person you have treated with rudeness or bad behavior again, YOU will know. It will be on your mind and heart when you walk into a meeting and try to convince the people in the room that they should put their faith in you. Your belief in yourself will be compromised and the negative energy you carry with you will ultimately manifest in some way to your disadvantage.
Be the role model for being nice to others. The energy of consistently being nice to others will return to you many times over. That is the POWER of nice.
Have a NICE day!
Andy Robinson, Executive Coach
239-285-5575
Andy@AndyRobinson.Coach
"Helping CEO's and executives maximize their influence and impact."