So why is being too nice a business problem? What’s wrong with that, specifically?
Yesterday Jill Geisler offered this list of problems on the Poynter Institute’s website:
- Your ideas get overshadowed by others in the organization who are more assertive about making their cases.
- Workplace problems fester as you postpone dealing with them.
- Mediocrity flourishes as you hold back from challenging underperformers.
- Needed change is delayed as you hesitate to nudge people out of their comfort zones.
- You do other peoples’ work when they complain about schedules, shifts or duties.
- Bullies and bigmouths win.
- You can lose respect — from your bosses, other managers, your staff — or all of them.
I wish I’d had this list last Fall when I posted Nice People Can be Bad Bosses Too on this blog. I wrote then:
I think I did this wrong myself. I think I let being a supposed nice guy interfere with my managing a company. You can’t be liked by all and also optimize performance. Sure, some people work best when left alone and encouraged, but – hard, ugly truth – others lose interest and grow entitled. Good bosses deliver both positive and negative feedback. Good bosses make the company better. Whether they’re liked or not.
Jill said that better than I did, with her list.
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