I learned a valuable lesson from a very nice lady I worked with a
few years back.  That lesson is that it’s the little things that really
make the difference in your corporate culture.

This fine lady was a fanatic when it came to treating everyone with
dignity and respect.  I remember being in a meeting with owners and
management of the company, and seeing that the door to the conference
room was still open,  I said, “John, could you kick that door shut?” 
From across the room came a quiet but firm, “Please.”  I looked at this
lady who had a disarming smile on her face.  “What?” I asked.  “Can you
kick the door shut, please,” she responded.  It was not said in a
confrontational way, nor in a way meant to cause any offense.  It was
done in a patient way — more like your mother used to do when you were
young, in a hurry, and left out this important part of speech.

I remember thinking at the time what a waste that intrusion in the
meeting was.  What was the big deal, after all?  I didn’t bark an
order.  I didn’t say what I said in a way that would cause anyone any
heartburn.  I just wanted the door closed.

But through the years I’ve realized that as simple as it is, this
civility in the workplace has a tremendous impact on everything else. 
The old cliche says, “when you take care of the pennies, the dollars
watch out for themselves.”  It’s like that with respect.  When you take
care of the little things — like saying please, and thank you — a lot
of the bigger things take care of themselves.  That kindness, caring,
and respect becomes part of who your company is.

In an age when respect for peers and co-workers seems to be at an
all-time low, little things like saying please and thank you make a
company a better place to work.  Having a more respectful work
environment makes for happier employees.  Happy employees contribute
more significantly to the success of the business.  You don’t have to
spend a lot of money to have a great corporate culture.  After all,
everything you need to know about a great corporate culture your mother
already taught you.  Because, at the end of the day, it’s the little
things that make the difference.