The Power of Nice.The Power of Nice, Book, 2007, Currency Doubleday, $21. Leo Durocher adv. 1. In a way or to an extent that is well known: "his famously neurotic mannerisms [are] lampooned in the novels of Evelyn Waugh" said, "Nice guys finish last." Durocher definitely wasn't a nice guy, and yet his teams often finished far down in the standings. Durocher's remark is quoted over and over because it captures, in just four words, what a lot of people think--or fear--about the world. The attitude it expresses has a lot of adherents in the business world. They believe that finishing first requires a willingness to do whatever it takes to win, including bullying, back stabbing stab v. stabbed, stab·bing, stabs v.tr. 1. To pierce or wound with or as if with a pointed weapon. 2. To plunge (a pointed weapon or instrument) into something. 3. , manipulation, and so on. Linda K. Thaler THALER. The name of a coin. The thaler of Prussia and of the northern states of Germany is deemed as money of account, at the custom-house, to be of the value of sixty-nine cents. Act of May 22, 1846. 2. and Robin Koval beg to differ. Their brief book (128 pages), The Power of Nice: How to Conguer the Business World With Kindness, makes the case that nice people can be very successful as well as healthier and happier. They explain how being nice brings positive business results--not on its own, of course, but in combination with other prerequisites such as competence. Business self-help The Power of Nice is the business equivalent of a self-help book. But the authors don't oversell o·ver·sell tr.v. o·ver·sold , o·ver·sell·ing, o·ver·sells 1. To contract to sell more of (a stock or commodity) than can be delivered. 2. To be too eager or insistent in attempting to sell something to. their idea or claim that it's new. They believe in it strongly but aren't hucksterish or sentimental about it. Self-help books are typically padded with repetition and lots of anecdotes that purport to show the worth of whatever the book is peddling. The Power of Nice by comparison is succinct suc·cinct adj. suc·cinct·er, suc·cinct·est 1. Characterized by clear, precise expression in few words; concise and terse: a succinct reply; a succinct style. 2. , reinforced by crisp anecdotes, and is well written. And the authors come across as nice people. They quickly dispel the notion that nice means "manically smiling and doing everyone's bidding ... [or] being phony or manipulative ma·nip·u·la·tive adj. Serving, tending, or having the power to manipulate. n. Any of various objects designed to be moved or arranged by hand as a means of developing motor skills or understanding abstractions, especially in ." In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , you don't have to be soft to be nice. The 2007 Superbowl provided a case study for the authors. Both of the teams were coached by individuals who don't raise their voices or lead by fear. If two nice men can reach the pinnacle of pro football, it can be done just about anyplace an·y·place adv. To, in, or at any place; anywhere. See Usage Note at everyplace. Adv. 1. anyplace - at or in or to any place; "you can find this food anywhere"; (`anyplace' is used informally for `anywhere') anywhere else. In 10 brief chapters, they explore various facets of nice behavior and its effects on a group. This book isn't going to change people who make life miserable for others in the workplace. They need something stronger than this book can provide, like a change-or-else warning. Based on anecdotes rather than research, The Power of Nice isn't likely to persuade business leaders who think paying attention Noun 1. paying attention - paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people); "his attentiveness to her wishes"; "he spends without heed to the consequences" attentiveness, heed, regard to the emotional climate of their enterprises is a waste of time or, worse, evidence that they are soft. But for people, especially leaders, who haven't gone over to the Dark Side, this book shows that they can compete in a dog-eat-dog industry (advertising) with nice people from top to bottom. It's too bad the authors don't cite similar companies in other industries to bolster their personal experience. The many suggestions the authors make that foster nice behavior are helpful. I have tried a few myself and have been pleased with the results. Getting nice on the agenda The book's biggest service is simply proposing that leaders in particular should value positive, supportive behavior. It's encouraging that, in the business world, emotional intelligence has a widely recognized abbreviation abbreviation, in writing, arbitrary shortening of a word, usually by cutting off letters from the end, as in U.S. and Gen. (General). Contraction serves the same purpose but is understood strictly to be the shortening of a word by cutting out letters in the middle, (EI). That is a sign that the emotional realities of the workplace are being taken more seriously than they have been. Another book with a much more in-your-face title (The No Asshole Rule) takes up the same basic issue from a different point of view--how to contain or get rid of people who like nasty over nice. And there are plenty of examples in the training media. The Power of Nice is relevant to corporate training because it provides concrete ways to maintain respect at work and shows the benefits of doing so. In the right organizations, this book could--and should--be part of leadership and new supervisor or manager training. Recommendation It doesn't take much investment of time to read this book. You might find that it can supplement some of your existing training in useful ways or justify a new approach to improving the organization's culture. In any event, you'll be better off personally for reading it. Product Ratings The Power of Nice Overall rating *** Review by Bill Ellet |
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