With unemployment on the rise and stressed out executives unsure where they may find their next deal, the business world has succumbed to an epidemic of an unusual kind:  politeness.

In an article from The Economist, one journalist writes:

Rudeness is out, and civility is the new rule in an uncertain world. The former kings of abrasive behaviour—Masters of the Universe bankers, hedge-fund traders, private-equity chiefs—have been humbled. On Wall Street, says a banker, “it’s now all about charm and openness and taking time with people.” Cocky young things straight out of the best business schools have stopped skipping interview appointments, recruiters say, and there is much less looking over people’s shoulders at drinks parties, reports one veteran. Many people, fearful for their jobs, are trying to burnish their contacts at other firms.

Upper-level management discuss the details of their annual strategies with vendors while employees from all levels exchange handshakes and greetings with unfamiliar faces.

Is it all a facade that we set in place during tough times?  Will it be a permanent change that we’ll see throughout the business world?  Unlikely, but business is easier when working with willing and cooperative coworkers.  Besides, those contacts may just offer the next step in your career.

Modern executives should be aware of the people they work with every day and decide for themselves if they can be more polite.  On the other hand, the best executives should be able to detect when someone is being nice to them for the sake of their career.

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