This past weekend a rough looking middle-aged woman deliberately threw a rather large plastic cup full of soda out of her car window onto a retail store parking lot as we walked by. Realizing the unkempt woman littered on purpose, my wife said to her, “you dropped your cup.” In a very hateful tone the litterbug shot back, “come over here and pick it up!” A trash can was simply four or five steps away from the rude woman’s car door but she refused to do the right thing, trashed our environment with her un-cleanliness and her unsightly rudeness.

What has happened to basic courtesy? When did it become okay to simply throw your trash out the car window while driving down the highway. When did it become okay to yell, scream and curse at other drivers on the road? This same lack of courtesy has crept into the workplace as well.

Why do some managers find it acceptable to yell or curse at employees? Why do some organizations allow fear and intimidation to be used as a management tool? Even non-profit groups, churches and Christian organizations have not been immune to the disease of mean.

One time I observed a blustery executive respond to a subordinate who simply asked a good question, “I am not telling you again because I didn’t stutter the first time,” the impatient executive stated to the employee who was visibly shaken by the rude response. How creative and innovative do you think that supervisor’s employees were?

A majority of professionals will display trust, dignity and respect among subordinates, peers and leaders. However, there are those difficult ones who create toxic work environments due to their refusal to treat people nicely. They litter the workplace with their toxic behavioral trash. Their behavior and demeanor smells and makes people sick.

The Power of Nice is a great book written by advertising executives Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval showing “how to conquer the business world with kindness.” I highly recommend the brief 119 page book to all my clients, leaders and future leaders. We have all heard the adage “nice guys finish last.” Actually, this is far from the truth. Sure, mean managers get significant press time. But according to the authors, “The Power of Nice shows that ‘nice’ companies have lower employee turnover, lower recruitment costs, and higher productivity. Nice people live longer, are healthier, and make more money.”

The authors Thaler and Koval go on to say, “companies and people with a reputation for cooperation and fair play forge the kind of relationships that lead to bigger and better opportunities, both in business and life. But nice doesn’t mean acting wimpy. In fact, nice may be the toughest four-letter word you’ll ever experience,” say the authors.

Building great workplaces is not complicated work. Treating employees with dignity, trust and respect is not rocket science. Being nice, respectful and caring is powerful. These qualities are not the tools of a wimpy leader. These are the qualities of a focused and successful leader who does not need to ruin lives while climbing the corporate ladder or building a successful company.

Will you join The People Group in making a commitment to create a trusting, respectful and caring work environment where you work? It makes sense. It’s the right thing to do. And you will be financially better for it.

So much about the world we live and work in has changed. I suppose every generation feels that to some extent, but now it’s my turn to acknowledge it. I’ve owned my business for over twenty years and the changes in how we market, interact, collaborate, congregate, follow and lead have changed unalterably.

And with it, a new breed of leader has emerged – in part because the world is desperate for it. Seth covered this new kind of leader well in Tribes. I have the pleasure of addressing the network of Duct Tape Marketing coaches for the opening session of our conference in Boulder this morning – and I plan to challenge this group to embrace the traits of today’s leader.

1) Trust themselves

An authentic trust in one’s self allows a leader to make decisions for the right reason and not out a hidden agenda or attempt to prop up self-worth. This trait also comes shining through when risk and uncertainly knock at the door,

2) Make meaning

The greatest leaders I encounter are doing what they are doing for love of a higher purpose. This doesn’t mean a spiritual or religious purpose, although it can, but they are trying to guide people on a journey worth taking. Chris Brogan is making the world a better place by blogging about engagement. His “make meaning” why he’s found a way to turn it into make money.

Finish reading this great article here.

QuikTrip, a convenience store enterprise headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., has demonstrated how to succeed through Positive People Practices. One of those is the practice of showing respect to their employees 24/7.

You will find no bigger QuikTrip fan than me. I use their gasoline almost exclusively for my cars, and our family frequents their stores because they are clean and well-stocked with a great selection of convenient items.  Look at my bank statement and you will see the evidence of my QuikTrip addiction.  I am hooked on their Diet Coke with Vanilla.  I love their French vanilla cappuccino. When my wife is not around I will buy a hot dog.  In fact, every time I leave town I stop by QuikTrip and buy a drink before I leave. But the biggest reason I am a QuikTrip fan is because their employees are friendly. They show respect to their customers.

Every time you walk into one of their stores an employee will welcome and acknowledge you.  At a time in America when many companies have forgotten about customer service, friendliness and showing respect, QuikTrip stands way above the pack in the convenience store industry, or most any industry. If you don’t believe me, visit a city that does not have a QuikTrip presence.  In fact, the City of Tulsa should advertise QuikTrip as a selling point for living here.

Showing respect to customers has to be one of their key ingredients to success. More importantly, I will venture to guess their employees are first shown tremendous respect by their leaders.  Typically, employees model the behavior they see in their leaders.  The dictionary defines respect as giving particular attention to something or someone worthy of high regard.  I suspect their employees treat me well when I walk through those swinging glass doors, because they are first treated in high regard by the company.

This is amazing when you consider the culture we live in today. Cable television provides an onslaught of news programs where people are arguing and yelling at each other. There is an endless lineup of reality shows where cut-throat antics are utilized to gain a competitive advantage.  Drivers on American roadways are even becoming more aggressive, less forgiving and impatient.  The workplace is becoming more dangerous and disrespectful where employees are seen as expendable assets rather than people with feelings and families.

So I salute QuikTrip for creating an atmosphere of respect for employees, which ultimately trickles down the line to their loyal and happy customers, like myself.  Before the customer enjoys respect the employee must first benefit from a culture of respect.

Note: QuikTrip is currently rated by Fortune Magazine as the 27th Best Company to Work For in America.

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