Do nice guys finish last at work, too?
A recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology says yes. Nikos Bozionelos of the University of Sheffield in England researched personality and career success and found that white-collar workers who were the most agreeable, conscientious and sensitive to the needs of others were less likely to be promoted. Bozionelos said he believes it’s because the workers don’t put their needs first: “Agreeable people tend to self-sacrifice and compromise their own interests to make others happy.” And because “nice” people do things just to please others, they often are given low-profile tasks no one else wants and wind up doing activities that don’t enhance their careers. Because American culture celebrates forcefulness, even aggression, researcher and author Gary Namie says the altruistic have it just as rough here in the United States, where, “Nice gets you in trouble. Nice gets you exploited.” Author and executive coach Lois Frankel says there are a number o
