Sat, February 20, 2010 - 11:31:32

In Tough Economic Times, It Still Pays to be Nice

If you’ve noticed an unpleasant shift in attitudes in your workplace over the last few years, you’re not alone.  According to a recent Harvard Business Review blog post by Gill Corkindale, an executive coach based in London, many managers are using the tough economic times as an excuse to mistreat their employees, relying on fear tactics and intimidation as a way to keep their teams on task.  But, as Corkindale explains, whether you’re a middle manager, an entry level worker, or a high-level executive, having strong interpersonal skills is essential in business, in good times and especially in bad.  In other words, it pays to be nice.

At some point in life, nearly everyone will encounter the kind of bully boss who uses excessive force at work: threatening to fire employees, belittling staff, and withholding important information in order to use it as a weapon.  And although those methods may effectively keep workers submissive during a tough job market, managers who use them will have a difficult time retaining their best and brightest and remaining successful in the long run.

As the leaders of The Kaplan Thaler Group and the authors of THE POWER OF NICE: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness, we have found time and time again that the most effective way to get the best from your employees isn’t with spears and intimidation, but with flowers and chocolates.

Instead of shouting orders from the top down, NICE leaders make themselves visible and engage their teams in discourse.  They tell the truth, even when it’s difficult, and provide positive, constructive feedback.  And perhaps most importantly, even when times are tough, they take the time to make small gestures of appreciation to the people that help to make their offices great places to work.
For example, one hot summer day, we rented an ice cream truck, parked it behind our office building, and treated everyone at the Kaplan Thaler Group to a few scoops of Rocky Road and Fudge Ripple as a way to say “thank you” for all of their hard work.  And, it turns out it didn’t just provide a much-needed afternoon sugar boost, but an emotional one too.

So, to all of you bosses out there, take heed and remember that the benefits you get from bullying your employees are simply short term.  Then consider taking the NICE approach and find out what happens when you sweeten the deal.

Posted by Linda and Robin