Working Business Questions Recently, the

Working Business Questions Recently, the power of positive thinking has been all the rage. People are beginning to believe that if you believe good things will happen to you, they will. While the mysticism behind this belief is up to personal faith and interpretation, it is true that thinking positively will give you a better attitude, and a better attitude usually yields a better lifestyle. For this reason, I don't think comparing the personalities and fortunes of Nardelli, McNerney, and Immelt is coincidental.

Because McNerney and Immelt had better personalities, they had better attitudes. It is obvious that Nardelli did not have a good attitude. His anger proved this. While both McNerney and Immelt were successful, Nardelli was not. This does not mean that Nardelli was not successful because he had a poor attitude, but it is not too far fetched to think that this played a role. Nardelli's bad attitude probably made him less fun to be around, so he did not have the benefits of collaboration and mentorship.

Also, it is not hard to believe that his bad attitude stifled his creative impulses, made him unhappier with himself, and made his employees perform poorly. All of these things combined can lead to the downfall of the best businessperson. Question Two Although I think some jobs require a demeanor of harshness or control, each job can benefit from its workers being "nice." For example, a prison warden or guard could not be as kind and gentle as a ninety-year-old grandmother.

In fact, neither could the math teacher in an alternative school for troubled teens. Because both of these jobs require a demonstration of authority, some harshness is needed. Still, these workers can be "nice." They can treat others with respect, offer encouragement, and speak in a way that is uplifting to all. These should be requirements for all jobs. If people are working in an environment with a boss that makes them feel oppressed and unintelligent, they will not work as hard.

Collaboration and teamwork are best fostered in environments where everyone can feel comfortable, and it is hard to feel comfortable with impolite bosses and coworkers. Question Three Neither Sexual harassment laws nor discrimination statutes used to be part of the worker's requirements. In fact, not even workers compensation and over time were always included in the businessperson's mantra. The business world changes, and with each change it becomes more accommodating, providing more opportunities for more people to succeed.

I view the niceness requirement along the lines of sexual and gender harassment laws. Niceness requirements make the working environment more comfortable; they open it up for more participation. Just as no one can help being born a certain color, most can't completely change the personalities they were born with, and some are genuinely soft hearted. These timid people may have some of the best answers, but may be afraid to share because they don't want to be ridiculed.

The niceness rule helps to put an end to all of this, by letting each know they will be free from suppression and meanness. Once again, this makes for a better team environment and a more productive workplace. Question Four While being nice is a trait that can benefit all companies, agreeableness goes by another definition. A person can be considered agreeable if he or she generally does not cause a disturbance. This means that the agreeable person does not question or oppose the majority viewpoint.

While this may be perfect for the CEO, board or directors, or boss who just wants a yes man or woman, it is not the best situation for the company that wants a truly intellectual debate, that wants to find the ultimate solution for a problem. Solutions and innovations come from honest discussion, they come from dissent. If a company is filled with agreeable people, it can be assumed that the company is not growing.

Instead of seeking agreeableness, which can be associated with submission, companies should look for individuals that have unique backgrounds and.