Why being ‘too nice’ at work can hold you back?

While at your place of work, it’s easy to see yourself as a ‘nice’ person and brush off the idea of being assertive when necessary. However, you can’t be too nice to get ahead in your career.

Personal development at the workplace is critical. As a nice person, you must question yourself and reflect on your actions.

So, how does being ‘too nice’ negatively affect your career projections?

1. “Too nice” can lead to stagnation at work.

There’s this pervasive assumption that you need to be assertive, especially if you’re not a natural leader. A nice person will have less self-direction than an assertive person. They won’t take the initiative, and they won’t get their ideas across or attract the best people.

2. Losing out on the opportunities

When you are ‘too nice, you won’t be able to stand up for yourself, give constructive criticism and learn from your mistakes. You’ll be less likely to ask for a raise, speak your mind when it’s appropriate, or get the recognition you deserve because of how passive you’re being.

Different factors contribute to the hiring decisions – a professional approach, excellent communication skills, time management, and the ability to handle pressure in high-stress situations. Being nice is certainly not one of them.

3. Poor leadership skills

Being too nice at work won’t get you far because you won’t be able to take charge, demand respect, or discipline your team when they’re in the wrong (or right). If you’re passive at work, people might think that you’re unassertive, submissive, and incapable of leading them.

Other employees will rarely respect your leadership skills if you’re not putting yourself forward and trying new things. Influential leaders know critical skills and understand how to manage people; they’re confident, professional, and think on their feet.

All of these aspects contribute to a high-performing team and your organization’s performance.

4. It won’t be easy to move up the ranks

Success at work can lead to promotions, mergers, acquisitions, and a higher salary for many people. If you aren’t self-directed and assertive, you won’t be able to fulfill these professional achievements and move ahead. You’ll have an easier time securing a job in the first place, but then it’ll take a long time before you can impact the workplace.

It’s impossible to develop or catch up with your peers if you’re always passive at work. If you don’t take responsibility for changing your situation, it will go from bad to worse. Employees who are assertive and self-directed will stand out and move up in their careers.

Whenever you’re put in a workplace situation, it’s essential to ask yourself how you can effectively make your mark. If you’re too nice, it will be much harder for you to attain your career goals.

5. Others will take credit for your efforts

Being too nice at work could make you lose your reputation in the long term. This can be damaging to your reputation, and when the time comes, no one will want to team up with you.

Of course, there’s a fine line between being assertive and becoming aggressive. It would help if you never let this attitude affect your work performance. People will admire your confidence, and they’ll respect you because you can stand up for yourself and others when it matters.

6. It might damage your relationships

Everyone wants to work with someone kind, courteous and has a good sense of humor. However, it would be best if you weren’t so agreeable that you don’t take a stand for yourself and your values.

Many people value the ‘team worker,’ but this shouldn’t override what you want to achieve in your professional career. As long as there’s mutual respect, it should be fine if you’re seen as assertive at the office.

It’s important to state your opinion when you feel that the conditions in the workplace are not right. If someone at work is not performing up to your standards, you will need to address it immediately. A team player respects their peers, and they would never put themselves first in any situation.

7. You will let down your family and friends

Overworking yourself is a common problem, especially if you’re too nice at work. If you don’t express how you feel, others will keep taking advantage of your good nature.

As a result, this will create problems in the workplace, leading to stress-related illnesses and depression. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living; if you’re not happy, then you won’t be able to perform to your best capabilities.

The bottom line is that if you want to get ahead in your career, then be assertive at work. Many factors are considered during a hiring process, primarily how an employee communicates, their capabilities, and productivity.