Mark Newsome says the common thread shared by the members of his team at CIBC Wood Gundy — besides an unbending adherence to the merits of disciplined, long-term investing — is that all are courteous and kind to clients, colleagues, friends and family.

“They’re all nice people,” he says. That trait doesn’t get the respect it deserves in our culture because it says nothing about success, he adds: “It’s a weak word. But, to me, being nice is pretty successful.”

Newsome learned early on that simple courtesies go a long way toward developing client relationships. He recounts a situation in 1983, when he was first starting out. A client had called and left a message. Several days passed and Newsome didn’t call back because he was busy gathering the information he thought the client wanted. The client called a second time and gently reprimanded the young advisor. The reason for the original call had nothing to do with what Newsome was researching.

“Ever since then, I’ve returned all my calls within a day,” he says.

— WENDY CUTHBERT