Do Mean People Get Ahead More than Nice Ones?

If you don't read the Journal front to back, you may have missed an interesting article buried in today's edition:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904…

Apparently men and women who are less "agreeable" in the workplace earn more. Men earn 18% while women earn 5% more, to be specific.

What do you think? Does it pay to be a dick in the workplace or do people just perceive others as less agreeable if they are relentlessly pursing their goals?

12 Comments
 

I don't think being less agreeable amounts to being mean.

Less agreeable employees contribute more by playing devil's advocate and help by challenging otherwise bad ideas fostered by groupthink.

Banking.
 

Kind of agree with MrV. Also could mean that you're coming up with your own unique views which make you stand out. Easy to get mixed in and become part of the mob.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

I think the writer is confusing 'competetive' with 'mean'. There's an overlap, but I can honestly say that I'm hyper comptetetive without being mean, and that the firm I work for encourages this approach. I think this article is a weak attempt at calling successful women bitches through very wordy doublespeak.....but that's just my perception.

Get busy living
 

Big difference between being a total disrespectful dick and being competitive....

Also interesting about the woman earning less in the same circumstances.... I wonder if our perceptions of this 'bitchiness' will ever change...

 
Best Response

I agree with most of these thoughts. Also noticed that the study based people on their self-perceived "agreeableness." Maybe people feel that when they are ultra competitive and trying to get what they want, others must feel like they are stepping on toes and pissing on legs.

In the CF world, I noticed a large amount of laziness -- just doing enough to get by without getting fired and rarely speaking up in meetings.

Interesting side note, one of my good friends was interviewing in ER and was extremely surprised with the MD he was interviewing with, was one of the nicest people he has met. He later described to me how he wasn't sure of the effectiveness of this individual because he was so nice. My friend felt that MDs must step on toes in order to be good/get what they want.

 

Honestly, the world would be a better place if the nicer people just snapped and one day dropped arsenic in the drinking glass of every dick: just clean house and be done with them. I'm also not above beating the fuck out of someone in the alley, or having someone do it for me (did this more than once as a bartender: bikers are the best, you can't trace anything). I'd rather enjoy my life than be a prick: besides, I'm doing something I like and when I don't like it anymore......I'll do something else.

I worked with some serious jerkoffs at my last job and they were miserable fucks....they're divorced, their health is failing, and there's usually some type of substance abuse issue: not worth it. Some of them made more than me but a lot of them were just assholes who have nothing else in their life and make it everyone else's fault: like a child. The bottom line is how hard you work.

Get busy living
 
Edmundo Braverman
UFOinsiderI worked with some serious jerkoffs at my last job and they were miserable fucks....they're divorced, their health is failing, and there's usually some type of substance abuse issue

I resemble that remark.

BWAHAHAHAHA

Yeah, but you retired at 30, and I'm literally just getting started. I'm thinking nice guys DO finish last, if they don't get eaten alive and make it at all. Seriously, it pisses me off, but I'm really beginning to think that people mistake 'nice' for weak....and they might be right.

That was then, but who's happier now? The independantly wealthy guy who lives in Paris, or the guy sitting in a cube in the bowles of NYC. I fucking hate to admit it, but you got me thinking.

Thanks, I think....

Get busy living
 
UFOinsiderHonestly, the world would be a better place if the nicer people just snapped and one day dropped arsenic in the drinking glass of every dick: just clean house and be done with them. I'm also not above beating the fuck out of someone in the alley, or having someone do it for me (did this more than once as a bartender: bikers are the best, you can't trace anything). I'd rather enjoy my life than be a prick: besides, I'm doing something I like and when I don't like it anymore......I'll do something else.

I worked with some serious jerkoffs at my last job and they were miserable fucks....they're divorced, their health is failing, and there's usually some type of substance abuse issue: not worth it. Some of them made more than me but a lot of them were just assholes who have nothing else in their life and make it everyone else's fault: like a child. The bottom line is how hard you work.

EDIT: everything I just said here is wrong. Don't be nice at work, just do what works. If not, then go home and find a nice, safe, happy job.....maybe park ranger or something
Get busy living
 

STorIB: ER is full of sweethearts, I'm just one example.

UFO: That is some healthy anger there hahah.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

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