Nice Guys Finish Best
Whoever said, “Nice guys finish last,” did not understand the true meaning of winning and losing. Dale Carnegie wrote in How to Win Friends and Influence People that if you want to win people to your way of thinking, you should start in a friendly way. In the last few days I have seen evidence of this rule on several occasions.
While making a purchase at a bookstore, Lesa and I took the time to be friendly and nice to the cashier. When she totaled the purchase it was significantly less than we expected. We asked if the books we bought were on sale and she replied, “No, when people are nice to me, I am nice to them. I had a 50% off coupon here that I applied to your purchase.”
Why would she do this? I believe this lady encounters a significant number of unfriendly people. You give yourself a considerable advantage when you are nice. Especially with gatekeepers, receptionists or anyone who stands between you and the decision maker.
When I experience someone who is being friendly and cheerful, I tell them, “Thank you for being so nice.” Nice seems to be in short supply. It is so easy to be friendly and can pay huge dividends for you in many ways.
Happiness and optimism are contagious. It will draw people to you. Pessimism and complaining can do the opposite and repel people.
I would like the creator of this phrase to explain who is the opposite of a nice guy? Is he the bad guy or the mean guy? Is he the guy that gets the girl? Is he the guy that will do anything to win, regardless of the stakes? I don’t see these guys winning long term. They usually leave a trail of destruction behind them.
Being nice is a great start for building a relationship, especially if you want to build rapport. To me, rapport is likeability. If I don’t like you, I don’t want to do business with you.
A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall ~ Abraham Lincoln
Being the bad guy may help you win temporarily but being nice will help you win in the long run. By the way, being nice works for gals too!
Have a great week!
Pierce
