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Nice guys really DO finish last... Nasty people earn $10,000 more a year, study finds
The Daily Mail (UK) ^ | August 15, 2011 | Paul Bentley

Posted on 08/17/2011 12:09:56 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

It is a common saying that nice guys finish last - and when it comes to pay packets, at least, research shows the genial really do end up at the back of the queue.

A study which looked at the link between personality and wages has found that 'agreeable' workers earn significantly less than their meaner colleagues.

The gap is particularly telling when broken down by gender, with the difference in pay between mean and nice men almost $10,000 a year.

The study, titled 'Do Nice Guys - and Gals - Really Finish Last?', examined levels of 'agreeableness' attributed to different people and compared it to their pay.

Agreeableness was defined as a tendency toward warmth, kindness and cooperation with other people.

Men who were deemed to disagree the most made 18 per cent - or $9,772 annually - more than those seen to be more willing to agree.

Disagreeable women make five per cent - or $1,828 a year - more than women who are more willing to seek common ground.

Using data compiled over 20 years from three different surveys, as well as surveys of 10,000 workers, researchers assessed whether personality affected how people were perceived at work.

As a further part of the research, 460 business students were asked to pretend to be managers reviewing descriptions of potential employees.

Those viewed as more agreeable were less likely to get the job, researchers found.

Cornell professor Beth Livingston, who authored the study with the University of Notre Dame's Timothy Judge and Charlice Hurst of the University of Western Ontario, said managers are clearly rewarding nasty behaviour.

'Nice guys are getting the shaft,' she told the Wall Street Journal. 'The problem is, many managers often don't realise they reward disagreeableness.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: meanguys; niceguys; personality; salaries; studies; work
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1 posted on 08/17/2011 12:10:03 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I guess it’s time to brush up on my asshole skills.


2 posted on 08/17/2011 12:10:32 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (It's the Tea Party's fault!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Let them earn more! I would rather retire with a large network of professionals than burn every bridge just to make an extra $10K per year.


3 posted on 08/17/2011 12:11:12 PM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Years ago my mother used to say to me, she’d say, “In this world, Elwood, you must be” - she always called me Elwood - “In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.” Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.

-Elwood P. Dowd -


4 posted on 08/17/2011 12:13:38 PM PDT by Spruce
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To: Spruce

Lovely! A wonderful quote from a wonderful actor in an engaging movie! In my very nice opinion: post of the day.


5 posted on 08/17/2011 12:15:31 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Run, Sarah, Run! Please!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I should be freakin’ RICH!


6 posted on 08/17/2011 12:16:17 PM PDT by humblegunner (The kinder, gentler version...)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

It depends on the definition of “agreeableness”. A lot of the time, you need somebody who’s not afraid to go against group consensus and say “this idea is really stupid”; who’s willing to ruffle some feathers in order to get the job done; and who’s willing to push people in order to make the deadline and cost goals.


7 posted on 08/17/2011 12:16:30 PM PDT by PapaBear3625 (When you've only heard lies your entire life, the truth sounds insane.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I manage a team of sales reps. I do have to admit that the “nice ones” who are more likely to roll over and say “it’s ok that he’s following up with a lead I started with” tend to get screwed a bit more by the more agressive greedy ones.


8 posted on 08/17/2011 12:16:40 PM PDT by MNDude (so that's what they meant by Carter's second term)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

and they're rich and need to be taxed to death!

9 posted on 08/17/2011 12:17:55 PM PDT by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: PapaBear3625

Being “agreeable” does nothing to help your employer/business. The a-holes where I work are the people you can actually trust to help the business make money.


10 posted on 08/17/2011 12:23:37 PM PDT by impimp
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To: PapaBear3625

That sounds like common sense, not overall nastiness.


11 posted on 08/17/2011 12:29:58 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (It's the Tea Party's fault!)
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To: impimp

In this case, I’m sensing that “agreeable” = “doormat.” Nobody likes a doormat.


12 posted on 08/17/2011 12:32:08 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (It's the Tea Party's fault!)
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To: MNDude

Years ago I had a sales manager teach us the concept of BADNAP.

I’ve never forgot it.


13 posted on 08/17/2011 12:40:06 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (The views and opinions expressed in this post are true and correct. Deal with it)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Nice guys finish last...in the business world.


14 posted on 08/17/2011 12:42:29 PM PDT by 4yearlurker (I've been dipping into my jar full of Hope & Change just to buy gas!!)
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To: rarestia

Thanks! i will earn more. And I havnt burned “every bridge” either. ;)


15 posted on 08/17/2011 12:46:01 PM PDT by airplaneguy
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To: impimp

indeed. the A$$holes are the ones who just get out there and make it happen. Plus theyre not gonna pee on your leg and tell you is raining. mean people will almost always give you the straight scoop.


16 posted on 08/17/2011 12:49:01 PM PDT by airplaneguy
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To: PapaBear3625

Agreed. Not only do you want original thinkers, you want people who aren’t so desperate to be liked that they avoid rejection by asking for the order in sales, for example.

Also, who wants to work with passive-aggressive types?


17 posted on 08/17/2011 12:52:03 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Responsibility2nd

What is BADNAP?


18 posted on 08/17/2011 1:02:07 PM PDT by Vision ("Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40)
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To: airplaneguy
indeed. the A$$holes are the ones who just get out there and make it happen.

Not where I work. They're just assholes intent on getting their own way making themselves look good. You want competent people who aren't self-centered egomaniacs, imo.

19 posted on 08/17/2011 1:06:30 PM PDT by subterfuge (BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS NOW!!!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Splain please BADNAP.


20 posted on 08/17/2011 1:07:35 PM PDT by Lazamataz (SmithL stole my tagline and won't give it back.)
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