INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom."
~ Theodore Rubin

 TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS!

If you've ever heard that "nice guys finish last," hopefully your experience has proven otherwise, because some of the most successful businesses actually got to the top by caring about both their customers and their employees. Case in point: Chick-fil-A franchises, known for the fact that they are never open on Sundays. Why? Because their employees, every single one of them, need a day of rest.

The doctrine of putting people before profits allows the restaurant to make as much money in six days as their competition does during a seven-day week. And their revenue has increased by at least 11% every year for the past decade.

Keeping employees happy is just half the picture, of course, because it's the customers who ultimately contribute to a company's success story. By going out of your way to satisfy customers, even the happiest ones, you gain an edge. As Linda Kaplan Thaler explained in a recent REALTOR® Magazine interview, "Being nice doesn't dull your competitive edge - it IS your competitive edge."

Kindness is a sort of secret weapon in all your personal and business transactions and relationships. Like a boomerang, whatever you throw out there can (and usually will) come back to you. Like primates in the wild, humans mimic each other. Your actions will speak louder than words. Try smiling at someone - chances are, they'll smile right back!

Create a work and personal environment that is defined by how you act, and you'll be amazed by the magnetic force you create, attracting and encouraging others who do likewise. In this society of cutthroat competition, put the culture of courtesy to work for you!