Some men seem to think that to be successful in business, one must be boorish, hard-boiled and prepared to stage a brawl when he runs against an opponent in his way.
In order to hold one's own in business they think, one must put on a forbidding front and have at his command a fund of harsh words and ominous gestures. They consider business a cold, hard matter-of-fact thing to which only a temper of severity is suited.
As for being gentle, that sort of thing in their opinion is too weak and passive for the stern and aggressive battle of business.
Columnist John R. Gunn writes, "If you think that Mr. Business Man, you are wrong. Gentleness is not weakness, it is power and poise. And power and poise in business account for a great deal indeed."
Successful business is of course impossible without a certain degree of firmness, but to be firm, one does not need to be brutal or rude. One does not need to employ oaths and violent gestures to impress his firmness.
By swearing and fuming and shaking his fist and pounding on his desk, the business man gives the impression of weakness rather than strength. Truly such conduct reveals an inferiority complex, for it is a fact that the man with an inferiority complex tries to make himself feel superior by talking and acting big - by making a show of strength.
On the other hand, a gentle manner and soft speech are indicative of strength and confidence. In business, as everywhere else, gentleness, not violence, secures the most commanding influence and the greatest advantage. Try it and see.