The Art of Fairness by David Bodanis – The Power of Decency in a World Turned Mean
As you surely know by now, I am fond of reading, and when I come across a fantastic book that I felt spoke to me in some way, I like to pass that along. A recent good read that I gleaned a lot of practical wisdom from was written by New York Times bestselling author David Bodanis and published just this past year.
It’s titled The Art of Fairness — The Power of Decency in a World Turned Mean. The title hooked me immediately, and then the headline right below that begged the question: “Can you succeed without being a terrible person?” And if that query doesn’t make your head turn and want to dive right into those pages, you might want to check your pulse. Because I think that’s such an apt question for these times we are living in, right?
We all want to succeed and get ahead in life. But now more than ever, especially amid a global pandemic, we also have to look around us and wonder: Can I succeed—climb that proverbial ladder to reach my goals—without having to trample anyone along the way? In a world that is often described as a “rat race” and “dog-eat-dog,” the answer would appear to perhaps be a hard “No.” However, that “Nice guys always finish last” saying isn’t the truth.
So needless to say, Bodanis—and his book—were like a breath of fresh air. I needed this book. I wanted to see a real person living—and writing about—that even in a cutthroat corporate world, you can chart a better path and defy the stereotypes to succeed WHILE being a good person, too.
A masterful storyteller, Bodanis offers a refreshing and realistically doable approach to taking life and our careers by the horns without becoming bullish. One great takeaway—among many—was the focus on how awareness and actively, consciously choosing to adopt proactive behavior patterns can set you on the path to success without sacrificing your integrity or your humanity.
And as an extension of your choice of cultivating integrity in your own self and infusing it into all of your actions, your leadership and ability to guide and influence others will grow exponentially. And the marked difference between following a leader who is a nice person (while still being successful) versus being mentored by or following a real jerk (who just happens to be at the height of their game career-wise, too) is like night and day. I mean, do I even need to ask—given the option—who you would rather be learning from and listening to?
The nice person who knows their stuff and is highly successful, and still manages to maintain the respect and favor of those around them, am I right? Same.
And in knowing that, I want to be that leader. After all, who doesn’t love proving stereotypes wrong? I sure do. This book is well worth the read and will serve as an amazing catalyst and source of advice and inspiration to anyone else who has grappled with the idea of having it all without forfeiting your soul in the process.
