The Price of Nice

Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck and 4 Actions for Real Change

By: Amira Barger

Narrated by: Machelle Williams

Many of us follow the quote: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” But that advice isn’t always helpful.

In the workplace, people often choose niceness over honesty in order to avoid hurt feelings or conflict. The truth is, there are hidden costs of "niceness" that allow inequities to endure, projects to fail, and organizations to stagnate. Growth comes from courageous conversations and genuine, authentic action.

The Price of Nice introduces an innovative, proven four-step framework that shows listeners how to spot problem areas that are often masked by artificial niceness; facilitate difficult conversations and navigate conflict; empower genuine action and cease endless discussions; and build accountability systems for sustainable progress.

This guide helps team members and leaders break through superficial politeness to address real workplace problems, create solutions, and ultimately build a healthy environment for everyone to do their best work.

©2025 Amira Barger (P)2025 Ascent Audio

Nerve or Nice, which creates a better world?

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Being nice was my default setting.
Having nerve is what is needed to create change.

A must read to learn how to live and embody nerve

I enjoyed this book very much as a professor of clinical psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy and as a practicing clinician. I love the concept Dr. Badger lays out called nerve and the tangible examples of how to embody nerve while recognizing the cost (price) of nice.

Timely and actionable

The Price of Nice is the wake-up call we need right now. It reminds us that being “nice” won’t fix broken systems, but honesty,m and nerve just might. Bold, practical, and deeply human, it’s a must-read for our times.