It shouldn’t be hard to be nice

The kind woman pulled me aside at a party to tell me she really enjoys my column. “It’s idealistic and way too good to be true, but I really like it,” she said. “My husband and I have never seen people in our workplaces try to behave like that, but it’s still fun to read.” I’m still reeling from her compliment.

I admit to attempting to make this column uplifting and solution-oriented. Yet, it distresses me to think that the state of the workplace is so bad that some complimentary readers think trying to achieve respectful behavior and an appropriate approach to profits, and creating workplaces focused on doing the right and ethical thing, is idealistic.

Many of us have been conditioned to expect the worst of society, business and each other. We have stopped believing we can create a better, fairer and more just society. Our cynicism about business and work overwhelms our pursuit of the common good.

We seem to buy into the belief that a corporate and political aristocracy makes mean-spirited rules to exploit and hold the rest of us down. We act as if we’ve lost our belief that each of us can have a positive effect on the way businesses and workplaces operate.

I cannot buy into that kind of negative thinking. I am convinced that we get the system we want, allow and encourage. I believe that all of us can generate the positive energy required to create a system that is open, fair and constantly improving its sense of justice.

The workplace can be more civil, more respectful and more just, but that does not mean that I always accomplished those things as an executive. I failed often. I was a jerk more times than I can count, making the wrong decisions and behaving badly toward people, but that doesn’t mean I forfeited the chance to try to improve. And it doesn’t mean that I can’t use the insight gained from those mistakes to encourage others to create better workplaces. And just because you’ve messed up, it doesn’t mean that you should stop trying to improve the workplace and your business.

Some executives and employees seem resigned to the “way we do things.” They know the current methods are not working. They know the emphasis on profits, personal greed and workplace selfishness has gotten out of hand, but they act like they’re on a runaway roller coaster that can’t be stopped.

The roller coaster can be stopped, and we can create workplaces that respect everyone. We can create companies that value enhancing the common good over short-term profits. These things would help:

• Start with the old standard: the Golden Rule. If we treat other people the way we want to be treated, things will start to change.

• Focus on the mission of the company. Get to the root reason the business exists and make that company mission the mantra that drives all activity.

• Seek something grander than a paycheck or bigger quarterly profit. Concentrate on the change or contribution your work and your company makes to society

• Fight for justice for co-workers, bosses and subordinates. If everybody made justice the goal, behavior in companies would change from top to bottom.

• Be proactive. Workers must demand that politicians and executives pursue a fairer system. Your votes, letters and loud voices can force change. Proactive executives need to build companies that respect long-term franchise needs, contribute to the common good, and respect employee contributions with fair wages and benefits.

Too good to be true? Maybe. But it seems to me that creating values-oriented workplaces and companies that improve society is a prize worth pursuit.