Ready to Become the Most Likeable Person in Your Office?
Posted February 26th, 2018
Work environments are innately tricky often because they bring together a collection of personalities who all have to work together towards a common goal. Everyone from managers to entry-level workers needs to get along. Otherwise, it can be hard to meet your collective objectives.
Luckily, there are things you can do to ease the strain associated with working with people who may have varying personalities, ensuring that everyone sees you as a likeable person. To help you get started, here are some tips.
Colleagues vs. Friends
Even if your goal is to be likeable, that doesn’t mean you have to see all of your colleagues as potential friends. In fact, putting that level of pressure on the relationships can be harmful, especially if you become a little too interested in them liking you.
Instead of trying to turn everyone into your friend, consider what sort of relationship would allow you to work better together. Usually, this involves assessing their strengths as professionals as well as their approach to tasks as a means of identifying middle ground so that you can both be more effective and efficient.
Don’t Withhold Information About Yourself
While you don’t necessarily need to be an open book with every coworker and manager in your company, it also isn’t wise to withhold every detail about your personal life. People consider those who are willing to reveal certain aspects of themselves more likeable, even if the information isn’t inherently positive.
So, don’t stay tight-lipped about everything that happens outside of work, but do be mindful of what you choose to reveal.
Be an Active Listener
Getting people to like you isn’t just about talking, it’s also about listening. People appreciate individuals who are receptive to them, so you need to give your coworkers a chance to speak and really pay attention to what they have to say. This can be challenging when you think that your ideas or feelings need to be expressed, but learning to take your turn and actively listen to every person participating in the conversation will go a long way when it comes to being seen as likeable.
Exhibit Empathy
Emotional intelligence, or empathy, is becoming a highly prized skill in the workplace. Generally, this involves being able to see things from another person’s perspective, giving you the ability to understand where they are coming from with greater ease and use that information to shape your response.
It can take some time to master putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, but it is incredibly useful when being likeable is a goal.
Mingle More
People often limit their workplace interactions to a few specific people, such as the members of their team or a workplace confidante. But, this limits your opportunity to connect with everyone else, which can harm your odds of being seen as likeable.
Instead of limiting your interactions, make an effort to mingle more so you can spend at least a little time with everyone. Ask questions about their lives, interest, or work, and respond in kind. Even short interactions can be effective, so don’t think you have to dedicate a lot of time to do it right.
If you are interested in learning more, the professionals at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members today.
