By William F. Nazzaro, founder of The Time to Lead Institute, leadership expert, performance and executive coach, and trusted advisor to leaders navigating transformation and cultural change.

In the relentless hustle of business, productivity, and efficiency often steal the spotlight. But Christine Porath’s TED Talk, “Why being respectful to your coworkers is good for business,” flips the script. Porath, a professor at Georgetown University and a workplace civility guru, explains why respect and kindness aren’t just soft skills—they’re critical to business success.

Her evidence-backed insights challenge the usual corporate playbook and offer a fresh perspective on what it takes to build a thriving workplace. Let’s dive into the key points from her talk and see how respect can boost your bottom line.

The Hidden Costs of Being a Jerk
Porath kicks things off by laying bare the hidden costs of workplace incivility. Her research shows that disrespect leads to disengaged employees, lower p...

I was recently looking through one of my favorite classic books How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie.  I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in the Dale Carnegie Program and then to be an Associate Instructor.  But this time, when looking thorough the book again, I noticed that 3 of the 27 principles that Carnegie discusses all deal with giving appreciation.

I was surprised that I hadn’t noticed it before because two of my favorite quotes center on appreciation.  One from Mother Teresa “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” 

And the other from Robert Cavett “Three billion people on the face of the earth go to bed hungry every night, but four billion people go to bed every night hungry for a simple word of encouragement and recognition.”

Note that these two quotes put both food and appreciation on the same level of significance.  Food is critical to life.  Without food the body dies.  Without apprecia...