Despite the popular phrase, “nice guys finish last,” this does not have to be true in small business. Unfortunately, in a tough market that always seems to be about “me first,” it can be hard to see the value of “niceness” in the business world. It turns out that there may be a business justification for altruism. Being nice and helpful can pay off profitably in the long run more than being selfish and cutthroat.
Stefan Klein, author of the best-selling book “The Science of Happiness,” recently wrote a new book titled Survival of the Nicest: How Altruism Made Us Human and Why It Pays to Get Along where he argues that folk wisdom such as “nice guys finish last” and “greed is good” are flat-out wrong. In fact, he claims that humans are actually hard-wired to be cooperative and generous.
This bold claim begs the question: “If humans are supposed to be so nice, why are they sometimes so mean?” It seems that there are two major reasons. The first is that most people overestimate the value of money and set it as an end goal in itself. However, multiple studies that Klein cites show that money is a poor substitute for what people really want: happiness. This is more easily found through successful business and personal relationships and caring for others. Kindness becomes the means to those ends.
The second reason why humans are mean is simple fear of exploitation. They are worried that the cheaters and bullies of the world will take their things away, so they preemptively resolve to be the takers first. This is reflected in survivor’s behavior in every apocalyptic movie. The solution here is to keep helping others anyway in very small ways. Over time, Klein claims, the fear of exploitation fades away, until finally it is replaced with determined courage.
Small business owners don’t have to be jerks to get ahead, but they need to aggressively pursue what they want. Passivity will not help them build a company. The small business leader needs to openly communicate to employees and customers the mission of the company and the methods that will be pursued to achieve that goal. Equally as important, the leader must describe what tactics won’t be used to get there. In successful owners’ minds, the end does not always justify the means. Employees will follow the example of the owner and management team when they make decisions on their own behavior.
Klein believes that, altruists will prove to be the stronger, happier humans and over time, they will “win out” over selfish people. This is because they will share the profit from increased resources, connections, and information. In a world that is always getting more connected, the barriers to helping others will fade away. As a result, these benefits will only get bigger, and the personal risks of helping others will get smaller.
Do nice guys finish last? What do you think? How do you demonstrate it in your company?
