Being nice and being courteous is something that starts to disappear as a community (or business) gets larger. Neither of these things cost anything, but they mean a lot and pay big dividends too. This week, try:
- Standing up to greet new people as they enter a room. It’s a small thing. It means a lot. Try it.
- Shutting your cell phone off for the whole meeting. If your wife is having a baby that day, leave it on, otherwise, off.
- Being nice (but not too nice) to servers in restaurants, even though your conversation is super-critical and you’re a pretty big deal. If you’re male and over 40, young cheerful female servers don’t find you attractive. They work on tips. Think about it.
- When you feel emotional, ask yourself “is venting right now lifting the team, or bringing it down?” Act accordingly.
All things being equal, most of us would rather do business with someone who makes an effort to be nice.
