The Wisdom of Courtesy in Business
- Sarah Beth Herman
- Sep 4
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Written by Sarah Beth Herman, CEO and Mentor to Growth-Minded Founders
Success in business is often measured by numbers: revenue, profit margins, client retention, or growth percentages. While those metrics matter, the true foundation of a thriving business is wisdom. And wisdom often reveals itself in one overlooked skill: courtesy. Courtesy shapes how teams collaborate, how clients experience your brand, and how sustainable your business becomes.
This training is designed to give you practical steps you can use right now in your business. On Monday at 5 AM PST, a new episode of No Silver Spoons will build on these lessons, showing how courtesy and culture transform not only leadership but long-term growth. For today, let us focus on wisdom through courtesy and how you can apply it to your business immediately.
Courtesy in Customer Experience
Customers may not know the ins and outs of your operations, but they always notice how they are treated. Courtesy starts with the small details:
Greeting people by name.
Taking time to explain processes or costs clearly.
Following up after services with a short message, email, or call.
These actions may seem simple, but they define whether a customer remains loyal or turns to a competitor. A study in the Journal of Service Research found that customers who felt respected and valued were significantly more likely to return and recommend a business to others (Nguyen et al., 2020).
Courtesy is wisdom because it builds the type of customer trust that no marketing budget can buy.
Courtesy in Communication
Whether in emails, phone calls, or meetings, communication is the most visible sign of a company’s culture. Courtesy here means respecting people’s time, listening without interruption, and delivering information clearly.
Practical steps for applying courtesy in communication include:
Respond promptly. Even a short acknowledgment shows respect.
Be clear, not rushed. Avoid industry jargon unless the recipient understands it.
Use tone intentionally. Courtesy is often less about the words chosen and more about how they are delivered.
In fact, a study published in Harvard Business Review found that incivility in communication reduces collaboration, lowers creativity, and creates disengagement (Porath & Pearson, 2013). Courtesy prevents those outcomes by creating clarity and trust.
Courtesy in Team Collaboration
Behind-the-scenes culture is where courtesy either thrives or disappears. Teams that lack courtesy often become environments filled with tension, eye rolls, and disengagement. Teams that practice courtesy, on the other hand, are more cohesive, creative, and resilient.
Here are examples of small courtesies that transform collaboration:
Sharing credit for wins instead of keeping it for yourself.
Providing context in tasks so others can succeed.
Publicly acknowledging contributions, not just privately.
According to Gallup (2020), employees who feel respected are 55 percent more engaged and nearly twice as likely to stay with their organization. Courtesy reduces turnover, protects culture, and increases innovation.
Courtesy in Client and Customer Accounts
Account management, billing, and collections are sensitive areas in every industry. Courtesy in this space means protecting relationships while protecting revenue. Clients already feel stress about finances, so your tone and approach can determine whether the relationship strengthens or ends.
Instead of saying:
“Your account is overdue, you need to pay today.”
Try this:
“I wanted to go over your balance with you. We can set up a payment plan that makes this easier while still keeping your account in good standing.”
Courtesy in financial conversations does not remove accountability. It reframes it in a way that builds trust and maintains professionalism.
Courtesy as Wisdom for Growth
When you look at long-term success, courtesy is wisdom because it compounds over time. A single courteous act may seem small, but multiplied across customer interactions, internal communication, account management, and team collaboration, it becomes the very engine of growth.
Think of courtesy as a strategic investment:
In customers: It builds loyalty and referrals.
In teams: It reduces turnover and increases performance.
In accounts: It protects financial stability without damaging trust.
In reputation: It sets your business apart in a crowded market.
Training Takeaway: A Courtesy Reset for Your Business
This week, I encourage you to run a Courtesy Reset in your business. Here is how:
Audit your customer greetings. Does every customer feel acknowledged immediately?
Review your communication. Are your emails, calls, and texts clear and respectful?
Check recent client interactions. Did you provide clarity and partnership or simply demands?
Listen to your team exchanges. Is the tone rushed or dismissive? Or supportive and clear?
Reframe accountability. Are you demanding results or coaching people toward them?
These five steps form a wisdom-based strategy that not only improves culture but also strengthens business results.
References
Gallup. (2020). The real future of work: The intersection of talent, strategy and culture. Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/284180/future-of-work.aspx
Nguyen, B., Simkin, L., & Canhoto, A. (2020). The dark side of customer engagement: When customers start destroying value. Journal of Service Research, 23(2), 173–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670520916837
Porath, C., & Pearson, C. (2013). The price of incivility: Lack of respect hurts morale—and the bottom line. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/01/the-price-of-incivility
Psychology Today. (2021). The science of gratitude. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/gratitude
Work With Me
If you want me to train your team, speak at your event, or work with your organization as a fractional CEO, I would love to connect. You can schedule a virtual call with me through my website: sarahbethherman.com. Together, we can strengthen your team, refine your systems, and create a culture built on wisdom and courtesy.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Readers should consult with appropriate professionals for specific advice tailored to their circumstances. All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of information and references; however, errors may occur. If you notice any inaccuracies or would like to suggest updates, please contact us at hey@sarahbethherman.com. © 2025 Sarah Beth Herman. All Rights Reserved. By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. This post may contain affiliate links, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through them. References included where known. Please email hey@sarahbethherman.com to report missing attributions or inaccuracies
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