Nice Or Hard Nosed? Make Your Choice

Geoff Smith Portrait

BY Geoff Smith

POSTED ON DECEMBER 19, 2018

I’ve been watching people and thinking about this ‘choice’ for decades, and so am writing this note maybe for younger people, the ones aspiring to achieve

Everyone has a choice to make: Is it your professional approach to be known as a ‘nice’ person, or do you believe it’s more effective to approach your

I must choose my words carefully here. Nice does not mean weak, or that you don’t get things done. It does not mean that you let yourself be taken

The ‘nice’ versus ‘hard nosed’ decision is more than strategic, it’s a daily philosophical choice that will affect your career and your life greatly. For example,

All of this has been occurring to me lately because I am now old enough to have seen my industry change from one philosophy to the other, and now

But recently, in the last year or so, I’ve seen a clear trend back toward the black and white, kill or be killed approach, and this time around everyone is trying

I can’t say why this is. I would like to blame Donald Trump (and do believe his bullying tactics and electoral success are contributing to a broader, meaner

On the other hand, Mark Cuban – who is a self-made billionaire at a relatively young age and who owns the Dallas Mavericks and lots of other stuff – believes

But forget all that, in the end it’s really a personal choice. It’s about how you want to work, to be perceived and anticipated in the world, what you believe will

Nevertheless, it requires some serious thought and a conscious choice. As you go down that road, it may be the most important professional decision you

(And by the way, you do get the chance to change your mind. I did. But probably only once.)