One of the most stressful aspects of work is the behavior and attitude of your boss. It’s the number one reason why people either stay or leave their jobs. Having a strong understanding and relationship with your boss can directly impact your happiness at work. Additionally, the same can be said with regards to colleagues and coworkers. Working with likeable people enhances your work experience, makes the workplace more enjoyable and brings out the best in you.
Getting to a point where you are likeable to your colleagues isn’t something that happens overnight or with a snap of a finger. It takes a lot of effort from you to reach a point where you’re comfortably connected with your colleagues and working happily. A friendly office environment helps ease this process, however, not all office environments are friendly and open. You may end up in a culture where friendship is a challenge.
While it may appear as a challenge, it’s not impossible to be more likeable and friendly to your colleagues. Besides, if you really want to make an impact and have a successful career, you cannot possibly achieve it without interacting and bonding with colleagues. And here’s how you can make it all happen.
1. Seek Help
One of the most proven ways to break the ice with a colleague is to show that you value their input and opinions. Even if you’re not wholeheartedly seeking help or assistance, by having a colleague take a look at your work for feedback or their opinion you’re dropping your guard and making them feel valued. There’s no better way to increase your likeable points than this.
2. Provide Support
People often find it hard to ask for help as they don’t want to unveil their weaknesses. Being proactive and stepping up to offer your support will go a long way in forming stronger friendships. And while you’re helping out, be genuine in your approach and keep your ego out of it. Your objective here isn’t to show you’re better or wiser, instead it’s to show that you care and want to help them succeed. Supporting your colleagues in their time of need will help you build trust that will earn you dividends when you’re in need for it.
3. Don’t Be A Know-It-All
No one likes a know-it-all. They’re boring and hard to converse with. Know-it-alls have a way deflecting people that’s guaranteed to make you less desirable company. When you’re aiming to be more likeable, bragging should most definitely not make its way into the conversation. Instead, heighten your listening skills and pay more attention to what your colleagues are saying. By taking an interest in others opinions and interests you’re opening yourself up to be more approachable and, hence, more likeable.
4. Find Common Interests
Agreed that your colleagues and coworkers aren’t your friends, however, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. When you run into a colleague during your lunch break or getting yourself tea of coffee try not talking about work. Engage in small talk that’ll bring out what common interests you share and then let your conversation dive into it. You’ll be amazed at how much you can bond over conversations around sports, technology and gadgets and TV shows. Make it a rule that during lunch the only conversation you’ll engage in will be everything except work. It’s a great fun way to rest your mind and connect.
5. Be Positive
If you’re out there to work malicious alliances then you’re headed towards trouble and most probably your career’s demise. Avoid gossip, drama and negative talk when you’re engaging with colleagues who you wish to be more likeable for. Staying positive will help you earn much more likeable points as you’ll be recognized as a source of encouragement and even humor or fun. And make sure to grant praise to your colleagues when and where it’s warranted. You’ll win their hearts!
6. Accept Criticism
People have opinions and so do your colleagues. And while they’re entitled to their opinions, you’ll have to work on being able to take it like a pro. You can’t stop your colleagues from sharing their opinions and lashing out their criticisms. However, what you can control are your reactions to it. Approach criticism objectively and take it as a learning or constructive feedback that can only help you and your work be more effective and robust.
7. Adapt To People
Any office that you work at will have a diverse group of individuals. You’ll have a fair share of optimists and pessimists, introverts and extroverts, humorous and silent observers. The key to be likeable to just about anyone is to accept diversity and who they all are. Observe your colleagues’ behaviors and adapt your style to it. Some colleagues may enjoy chatting, while others prefer to keep conversations short and to the point. You’ll have to calculate how you approach each colleague and which version of you to present to them.
Learning to coexist harmoniously is beneficial for everyone, particularly for you and your career. The last thing you want is to be sidelined or alienated at your workplace. However, using these tips can help speed up your acceptability to ensure you’re more likeable.
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