Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval have moved to the top of the advertising industry by following a simple but powerful philosophy: it pays to be nice. Where so many companies encourage a dog eat dog mentality, the Kaplan Thaler Group has succeeded through chocolate and flowers. In The Power of Nice, through their own experiences and the stories of other people and businesses, they demonstrate why, contrary to conventional wisdom, nice people finish first.

Turning the well-known adage of “Nice Guys Finish Last” on its ear, The Power of Nice shows that “nice” companies have lower employee turnover, lower recruitment costs, and higher productivity. Nice people live longer, are healthier, and make more money. In today’s interconnected world, companies and people with a reputation for cooperation and fair play forge the kind of relationships that lead to bigger and better opportunities, both in business and in life.

Kaplan Thaler and Koval illustrate the surprising power of nice with an array of real-life examples from the business arena as well as from their personal lives. Most important, they present a plan of action covering everything from creating a positive impression to sweetening the pot to turning enemies into allies. Filled with inspiration and suggestions on how to supercharge your career and expand your reach in the workplace, The Power of Nice will transform how you live and work.

"With a foreword by Jay Leno, how could this not be a nice book? Coauthors Thaler and Koval submit their own success in the cutthroat world of advertising as evidence that nice girls can finish first while taking home more than a dozen Clio awards along the way. Following up their bestselling look at creating compelling marketing strategies — Bang! — they turn most truisms about business inside out, arguing that good deeds are returned, not punished. Warning against a me vs. you mentality, they even suggest helping opponents as a good way to boost a career. Game face on? Thaler and Koval say, take it off. Being genuine, they explain, produces much better results. From crediting their friendly building security guard for helping them sign new clients to recommending chocolate as an accompaniment to presentation materials and invoices, they build their case for using little gestures to get you what you want. Though a lively and pleasant read, this is not a cutesy little bonbon of a book. Well thought-out and crisply presented, it offers key principles, case studies and exercises to help make niceness habitual. Some exercises, like turning personal disappointment into positive energy, are even quite therapeutic. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

“This little book will show you why women should run most corporations in America, and maybe the entire country. Reading Nice will improve just about everything in your life, and that’s a promise.”

—James Patterson, bestselling author, former CEO of J. Walter Thompson North America

“The Power of Nice is a wonder drug! It could literally save your career and your life…. And let me suggest a first act of kindness: buy some extra copies for your enemies. I’ll bet they need The Power of Nice more than you do.”

—Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone, the bestselling book on building relationships for success

“Leo Durocher was wrong! Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval’s The Power of Nice is the antidote to our increasingly mean-spirited culture. I’m going to send a copy to every political campaign consultant I know.”

—Arianna Huffington

“In negotiation, the cheapest concession you can make is to be nice. And the returns can be high, as Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval show in this delightfully readable primer packed with practical advice and entertaining stories. I recommend it with pleasure!”

—William Ury, co-author of Getting to Yes and author of The Power of a Positive No (2007).

“For my money, I would always rather make a deal with people I like who treat me well. If you want to discover the surprising power of nice, read this book. Memorize it. Use it. You’ll be glad you did.”

—Donald Trump

Thaler and Koval have moved to the top of the advertising industry by following a simple but powerful philosophy: it pays to be nice. Challenging the mean-spirited "me or you" mentality, they show that "nice" companies have lower employee turnover, lower recruitment costs, and higher productivity.

Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval have moved to the top of the advertising industry by following a simple but powerful philosophy: it pays to be nice. In THE POWER OF NICE they share their own experiences and the stories of other businesses to demonstrate why, contrary to conventional wisdom, nice guys and gals finish first.

Challenging the mean-spirited me or you mentality, THE POWER OF NICE shows that nice companies have lower employee turnover, lower recruitment costs, and higher productivity. In today's complex and interconnected world, companies and people with a reputation for cooperation and fair play forge the kind of relationships that lead to bigger and better opportunities, both in business and in life.

Kaplan Thaler and Koval illustrate the power of their philosophy with scores of real-life examples from the business arena and from their personal lives. Most important, they present a plan of action that covers everything from creating a positive impression on others to turning difficult coworkers into trusted colleagues. Filled with helpful tips and inspiring advice, THE POWER OF NICE will transform how each of us lives and works.

LINDA KAPLAN THALER is the CEO and chief creative officer and ROBIN KOVAL is the president of the Kaplan Thaler Group. Ranked as the fastest growing advertising agency in the United States by leading industry publications, with over a billion dollars in billings, the agency has won thirteen Clio Awards. Kaplan Thaler and Koval are the coauthors of the national bestseller, Bang! They live in the New York metropolitan area.