You may be brilliant at what you do, but there’s a chance you might be passed over for a promotion if you rub people the wrong way. Here are some things you can do to score extra brownie points with your boss and colleagues.
You may be brilliant at what you do, but there’s a chance you might be passed over for a promotion if you rub people the wrong way. Here are some things you can do to score extra brownie points with your boss and colleagues.
Be a sounding board. Make an effort to lend your co-workers a listening ear, even if it’s not about work. For example, if a co-worker looks stressed, ask them what’s going on and if they’re OK. Chances are, they need to rant about something, or they’re looking for a second opinion on a dilemma they’re facing.
Gossip. The golden rule is this – don’t say anything about a colleague that you wouldn’t say to their face, because it might come back to bite you. If people hear you badmouthing another colleague, it’ll make them wonder what kind of things you’re saying behind their backs.
Breakfast: If you see your colleague having toast or beehoon at their desk, you might want to wait until they’ve finished eating before talking to them about work. In fact, try not to interrupt people when they’re eating, no matter what time it is, because nobody likes that.
Lunch: If you can’t stand your colleague’s banal conversations, or are just more comfortable with eating alone, joining the team for lunch occasionally may help to stop them from thinking you’re stand off-ish.
Dinner: Every once in a while, a team dinner or post-work drink happens. The general rule of thumb is you should never skip these unofficial bonding sessions unless you have a prior commitment you absolutely cannot get out of.
"There will be a moment in time when you will not be able to be represented by the quality of your work but by the relationships you have... The person who is very good at relationships is the one who gets to be in charge.”
– Charlotte Beers, former chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, author of I’d Rather Be in Charge
Well, duh. People like hearing you say nice stuff about them, and because of this little psychological phenomenon called Spontaneous Trait Transference, they would associate you with nice stuff too. Just be careful not to overdo it, because you will come off as fake and people can sniff that out from a mile away. Here’s how to do it right: say it only when you truly mean it, like if your co-worker has a cute skirt on, or if you were really impressed with the way she handled a big project.
The easiest way to make anyone like you more? Spend more time around them. The Mere-exposure Effect suggests people tend to be fonder of things that are familiar, so if you want to be well-liked, it might be worth spending time around the people whom you’re trying to win over.
