Nice companies finish first: why cutthroat management is over--and collaboration is in

What's so great about being a nice guy? -- The nine warning signs of a hopeless jerk -- Trait #1 : enlightened self-interest -- Trait #2 : the accessibility factor -- Trait #3 : strategic listening -- Trait #4 : good stewardship -- Trait #5 : 360 loyalty -- Trait #6 : glass-half-full POV -- Trait #7 : customer service-centric -- Trait #8 : merit-based competitor -- Trait #9 : gives a damn -- Nice guys (and gals) are the future of business.;The era of authoritarian cowboy CEOs like Jack Welch and Lee Iacocca is over. In an age of increasing transparency and access, it just doesn't pay to be a jerk to employees, customers, competitors, or anyone else. In Nice Companies Finish First, Shankman, a pioneer in modern PR, marketing, advertising, social media, and customer service, profiles the famously nice executives, entrepreneurs, and companies that are setting the standard for success in this new collaborative world. He explores the new hallmarks of effective leadership, including loyalty, optimism, humility, and a reverence for customer service, and shows how leaders like Jet Blue, Dave Needleman, Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Steve Jobs of Apple, Ken Chenault of Amex, Indra Nooyi of Pepsi, and the team behind Patagonia harness these traits to build productive, open, and happy workplaces for the benefit of their employees, themselves, and the bottom line.