There is an art to being likeable. When you are interviewing for a new job, dating, meeting new people and moving up the career ladder, you want to leave a memorable, as well as positive, impression.
Unfortunately, a magic pill or special algorithm does not exist for the perfect interaction that will make yourself revered by strangers.
But, there are some easy things you can do to leave a favorable impression:
1) Say nice things about other people.
Trash-talking never gets someone promoted, and it makes you look bad. You don’t need to be a brown nose, but give credit where credit is due. If someone looks good, let them know without being overtly sexist. If they say something clever or do something smart, let them know.
A compliment promotes comradeship. However, beware that you don’t overdo it because overdone compliments could erode your credibility over time.
2) Share the spotlight.
Everyone loves a team player and someone who shares the wealth in the spotlight. Encourage others without being an enabler. One of my favorite quotes is from billionaire Richard Branson.
He said, “Colleagues should take care of each other, have fun, celebrate success, learn from failure, look for reasons to praise not to criticize, communicate freely and respect each other.”
3) Be an expert listener.
Listening skills are a great gift. Give your full attention to the other party and reaffirm what they are saying by echoing their statement. This shows that you are listening with great intent, and files away the conversation in your memory bank.
4) Be funny.
You don’t need to be a stand-up comic, but throw in a self-deprecating joke or one that doesn’t offend anyone. Clever people are always the life of the party, and people enjoy being around them and their smart observations.
5) Cultivate confidence.
Believe in yourself because having a pity party is very unattractive. Playing the victim drags people down. Remember, people are inspired by positive energy. Positivity inspires others, and your positive energy can be contagious.
6) Get others talking.
People love to talk about themselves. Get them to do this by asking questions, being curious and being upbeat. This can lend a kind of charisma to your dealings with others, and can lead to greater success in presentations, negotiations and social interactions in general.
Reviewed March 28, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith