The Cranky Middle Manager Show #069 (MP3 10.5MB 30:48Min)

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Welcome to the show. I don’t know what it says about the world we live in that being nice is a business attribute. It should be automatic, but as we all know, it ain’t. Today we’re going to talke to Robin Koval, one of the authors of the new book, “The Power of Nice” about being, well, nice.

Show Notes

0:00 Welcome to the show. I think most people are nice, and the listeners of this show more than most. After all, you put up with me four times a month. Today we talk about the importance of being nice in business and managing. I tried to find a historical example of someone who was nice and successful, but most well-loved leaders wound up assassinated which hardly seemed the inspiration I was seeking.

Instead I tell a story about Jay Leno- who got the highest paying gig in American television by being nice to people the network didn’t care much about. I tell about something he once told me…it contains a bad word….get over it.

4:00 The quote of the week is from Aesop. He could have used one last act of kindness himself but there you have it….

5:37 Robin Koval is only one of the authors of “The Power of Nice- How to Conquer the Business World With Kindness”. Why does niceness get such a bad rap and is there a business case for niceness?

8:00 We talk about Jay Leno and how niceness is a conscious strategy.

9:30 What is the definition of nice? What does it mean in today’s business world?

10:45 The first of six principles: Positive impressions are like seeds

11:45 The second princple: You never know

12:39 The third princple: People change

14:50 Princple four: Nice must be automatic. You can take the niceness test at their website.

16:20 The fifth principle: Negative impressions are like germs. We also talk about when you step in and when you don’t.

23:30 I have to ask… is this a Mars or Venus thing? Maybe that’s a silly question. Robin mentions a study in the Wall Street Journal- the most important things recruiters are looking for are Interpersonal Communication Skills, Ability to Work in a Team and Personal Ethics.

24:30 The last and most important principle: You’ll know when you do something right or wrong. I also have a bit of an epiphany- the more impersonal the medium the more important the human touch.

28:07 Robin’s recommendation- The Diamond Cutter by Geshe Michael Roach

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