I agree that it does not pay to be a jerk.

From my own hands-on experience, I’ve learned that people are smart. They spot phonies. They don’t like bullies. For a time, a jerk may get results, but when the chips are down, people flock to those they trust. As trust is tested over time, truly powerful working relationships develop. It is these experience-tested relationships that help teams to win in the long run – all the more so as measured by happy and meaningful lives.

Business is a team sport and the strictly hierarchal organizations are dying out. In a world of knowledge workers, the most talented people prize meaning and fulfillment at work. And just as with athletic teams, a key determinant of business success is the ability to recruit talent. If leaders can’t develop and maintain a strong network of relationships, they have little chance of winning. Want to become a leader, in the C-suite or on the field? Don’t be a jerk.