You Can Grow your Business Simply With Good Manners

You Can Grow your Business Simply With Good Manners

We’ve always got our eyes on productivity and the bottom line. Did you know that in our hi-stress, quick-paced workplaces, showing a little kindness can plump that bottom line?

Studies by the Gevity Institute find that a friendlier workplace can lead to double-digit revenue growth, and that employee retention also grows with a 15 percent lower rate of costly employee turnover.

The landmark Baltimore Workplace Civility Study reports that rude behavior, on the other hand, reduces workforce productivity by 37 percent. The study said that over 80$ of those surveyed spoke about being treated more civilly at their job – that it would increase the output of their work.”

Whether you are a solo operation or a Fortune 500 executive, here are my :

Key Points for Gaining a Happier and More Industrious Workplace.

1. Say Please and Thank You.

A simple ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ is a staple of good manners. A ‘please’ can attract a more positive response to your requests for information, ideas or that extra effort from co-workers and staff. A simple ‘thank you’ is a powerful tool to acknowledge the importance you place on your clients and staff.

2. Be Phone Friendly.

Phone calls will go south when someone with a downer attitude is speaking. Early talk show radio hosts use this trick on those days when they’d rather stay under the covers than get up early for work. First, stretch your chest and shoulder muscles to loosen up your diaphragm. Folks will understand your voice more clearly. Second, stretch your mouth into a huge, friendly smile and keep that smile in place during your conversation. It works!

3. Overpower Negatives.

Don’t let negative outcomes or rude behavior by others impede your performance. Overpower a negative with a positive. If you fail, make it a positive learning experience. React positively to negative behavior by focusing on solving the problem, not unproductively obsessing on the rude way the problem was presented.

4. Be Flexible.

The old adage that ‘whatever can go wrong, will go wrong’ is true in business as it is in your personal life. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, there will be wrong outcomes. Be flexible as your pro-active weapon against responding negatively to such events. In fact, write the words “Be Flexible” on a piece of paper and post it at your workstation to remind you.

5. Mind Your Email Manners.

In today’s frenetic workplace, firing off a quick email without first taking a minute or two to think about how your message will be perceived is a fast way to lose your good will. Before you hit the “send” button, re-read and edit your message. Can you add a please or thank you?