Lyft co-founder John Zimmer on why nice guys don’t always finish last

Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The Lyft Inc. logo is seen as John Zimmer, co-founder and president of Lyft Inc.

Barker makes the case that jerks are sometimes better at their jobs than the nice guys, because they’re often more focused on gaining power, but he makes it clear that being a jerk likely won’t get you far in business.

“Remember, bad behavior is strong in the short-term but good behavior wins over in the long-term,” writes Barker.

Lyft might have positioned itself as the industry’s nice guy, but it has no intention of finishing last. CBS reports that in 2016, Lyft provided more than 162 million rides to customers, three times more than in 2015. In 2017, the company added service in 150 U.S. markets, leading to 142 percent growth.

In January, amidst the #DeleteUber controversy, Lyft announced that it would be donating $1 million over the next four years to the American Civil Liberties Union to help fight President Trump’s proposed travel ban. In March, Zimmer announced via Twitter that the company will also be launching a program called Round Up & Donate, through which riders can opt to have their fare automatically rounded up to the next dollar. Proceeds will go towards “issues impacting everyone everywhere, from climate change to the pursuit of equality.”

“Do nice guys finish last?” Barker writes. “Yes. But they also finish first.”

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