Most of us want to be liked at our work place. In fact, being likable on the job can take you far and make your work place enjoyable. The benefits of a good likability factor are many: Bosses generally promote people they like, and likeable people are given more opportunities on the job. Workers tend to follow leaders they like without a lot of complaints and being likeable also gives you a competitive edge in interviewing and getting jobs.
Most of us can stay positive on the job when things go well. But what about when things aren’t going so well? Can you still stay optimistic and positive? Likeable people can! Seeing the glass half full instead of empty is one of many characteristics we talk about on this weekend’s show.
Here is an easy characteristic to fix in order to be liked. Have good manners and grooming habits. This sounds obvious, but clean clothes, a shower and good hygiene make you approachable. And cleaning up your mouth as well as your body is also a way to bring more people into your circle. Poor language skills and bad language are a turn off for many people in the work place.
Humor makes the list of likeability but it has to be the right type of humor. No off- color jokes or humor that makes people uncomfortable. Along with humor, people like someone who compliments and shows appreciation for a job well done. Now, I am not advocating giving insincere compliments, but research says even insincere compliments work! This speaks to the power of affirmation in all of our lives.
One other characteristic (you need to listen to the show for the rest) relates to insecurities. Of course, we all have them, but the likeable person controls them. Communicating your insecurities to a lot of people is a turn off. If you need a confidant at work, that is one thing, but discussing your insecurities with your co-workers is not a good idea.
Finally, put on humility. Andrew Murray calls humility “the place of entire dependence on God.” He adds,
“Humility is not so much a grace or virtue along with others; it is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God, and allows Him as God to do all…. It is simply the sense of entire nothingness, which comes when we see how truly God is all, and in which we make way for God to be all.”
Affirm your gratitude toward God and depend on Him in the workplace. As James 4:10 exhorts,
How to be more likeable at work“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
