Napoleon’s Grande Armée conquered most of Europe. But the empire crumbled within months when his soldiers stopped saluting their officers.
Small gestures reveal big truths about character.
The Forgotten Art of Basic Respect
Research from the University of Pennsylvania shows teams with higher courtesy scores outperform others by 31% in productivity metrics. Yet somewhere between efficiency and urgency, we forgot that “please” takes one second to say.
Harvard Business School tracked 20,000 workplace interactions. The presence of “thank you” correlated directly with employee retention rates. Teams hearing appreciation stayed 40% longer than those who didn’t.
When Manners Became Optional
We’ve convinced ourselves that speed trumps civility, that directness excuses rudeness, and that results justify treating people like tools rather than humans.
But here’s what the data reveals: courtesy isn’t courtesy at all. It’s strategy.
“Sorry” doesn’t make you weak. It makes you trustworthy. “Please” doesn’t slow you down. It speeds up compliance. “Thank you” doesn’t cost you authority. It builds it.
The Three-Word Advantage
Every interaction is a deposit or withdrawal from your leadership account. These three phrases are compound interest for your reputation.
Your competition thinks manners are old-fashioned. Your customers and team members think they’re refreshing.
The choice between being right and being respectful isn’t a choice. You can be both.
Excellence isn’t just about what you accomplish. It’s about how you treat people while accomplishing it.
