Winning Nice: How to Succeed in Business and Life Without Waging War (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Matt Dieter (Author), Steve Forbes (Foreword)
Key Phrases: Martha Stewart, Ask Dawna, Winning Nice (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Proving nice guys and gals can finish first, Stone offers evidence from her own career, including her win on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. As founder and publisher of Her Sports+Fitness magazine, she and Dieter, her husband, weave her professional life story to date with advice gathered as they've sprinted down their respective career paths. With the same attention to detail and good cheer she exhibited through her weeks on the show, she shares the business etiquette and interpersonal skills she credits with her success. That advice, which forms her seven building blocks, is easily implemented—like smiling to set the tone of a meeting even when it occurs by phone. Always upbeat, Stone incorporates her advice with inspirational quotes from sources as diverse as basketball legend Michael Jordan, Woodrow Wilson and publisher Steve Forbes. Stressing the effectiveness of niceties like thank-you notes, she offers detailed directions on how to politely and effectively ask for raises and ace job interviews. Countering the reigning notion that business success is a matter of crushing or being crushed, she advises the best way to help yourself is by helping others. It is, Stone says, not winning that should be important, but how you win. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Martha Stewart's real-life apprentice, Dawna Stone, was, even before the show, a successful banker, consultant, executive, and publisher. The point of her book is that following the Golden Rule can drive work and life effectiveness and give great results. Of course, most of her advice is a composite of well-known authors, whether from W. Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, or Jack Welch and Lou Gerstner. She starts with seven building blocks, from believing in yourself to exuding professionalism, then adds eight daily activities, all proven philosophies of business entrepreneurs and corporations. Nordstrom is the poster retailer for embracing customers and clients, per its credo: "Use your own good judgment in all situations." RKO Pictures' original verdict on Fred Astaire—"Can't act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little"—is a terrific example of believing in yourself. Stone's a true cheerleader here; personal stories, questions and answers, quick chapter summaries, plus a variety of anecdotal and fact-based sidebars will boost any reader's spirit—and determination. Jacobs, Barbara

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Center Street (August 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599956888
• ISBN-13: 978-1599956886
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #496,611 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What a unique concept: winning NICE, August 14, 2007

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Walk into any bookstore, and you will find an abundance of motivational, how-to-succeed-in-business books. Why would you want to pick out Winning Nice from among the others? For one, its author is Dawna Stone, a woman who has lived out the success that she teaches. Dawna founded Her Sports + Fitness magazine, achieved striking success within Fortune 500 companies, and won The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. But there's more! Dawna is also an avid athlete and has found time to sustain strong connections with family and friends.

Winning Nice is about succeeding in business AND in life. If you've ever been told that you're too "nice" and can't succeed in business that way, then this book is for you. Each chapter reads like a personal mentoring session with Dawna. Chapters open with bulleted agenda items and contain vivid personal examples. She outlines what it takes to be effective while being respectable and respectful.

On the other hand, if you feel too driven, as if a negative business atmosphere has swallowed up your life, then this book will also be for you. Dawna shows how "nice" people are the only ones who win in both their private and professional lives. Ironically, the same "winning nice" strategies that benefit your personal life also allow you to be the most effective leader in the workplace. According to the author, you will actually win more if you win "nice."

Corporate America is sometimes referred to as a giant rat race, a dog-eat-dog world. This perspective drains the life out of even the most hopeful employee. In Winning Nice, Dawna Stone invites her reader to rise above the day-to-day in order to glimpse a new vision of the workplace. Through concrete examples, she illustrates just how powerful "nice" can be. With a positive perspective and appropriate boundaries, the corporate world can be both thrilling and fulfilling. It can be the perfect complement to a satisfying personal life. This is the vision of Winning Nice.

Armchair Interviews says: What a refreshing vision that is!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Winning Nice is a winner!, September 18, 2007

By	V. Yacovone (Pomona, NY, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great book! I just finished reading this uplifting, easy-to-read manual of doing it right. I often found myself saying "yeah! That's a great idea. Why didn't I think of that?" and "I can do that!" Dawna and Matt offer practical advice and practices that we can all implement immediately.
I am an elementary school teacher and found the advice to be applicable both with my students and dealing with peers and supervisors. I have left a copy in our faculty room and encouraged others to read it. I may even try some of the suggestions on my husband ---but don't tell him!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Helpful and Uplifting, September 18, 2007

By	Helen Mcpherson "Helen M" (Maplewood, NJ) - See all my reviews

I picked up this book after reading that the author was also the founder of my favorite magazine, Her Sports & Fitness.
I loved the book because it encourages people to be themselves at work. I found it really uplifting, especially because it's evident from the stories in the book that it is possible to win by being "nice." The book is great for people at any point in their career it seems. My favorite thing about it is that it allows you to think about the big picture. I have definitely found that when I'm nice to people I feel so much happier, but it can be so hard to keep that in mind when work is hectic or people aren't cooperating.
This book is loaded with reminders on how to be the person I want to be, and I've already started implementing it into my everyday. I think it's great, and I highly recommend it. I am going to keep it around and refer to the tips in this book.