In many businesses, a fair amount of commercial and professional success hinges on what people think of you. What does it take to land that big sale, or score that major account? Usually, it has as much to do with making a strong connection as it does with providing a quality product or service.
And what will make it more likely that you land that dream job, or get promoted? It’s true that it often takes being liked and trusted by someone in a position to give you what you want.
Do you ever wonder how some people can be so persuasive in environments like this? There is no shame in brushing up on your people skills to get ahead, and this isn’t a guide on how to perform some form of insidious mind control to manipulate people into doing what you want. Instead, we’re offering a few simple and insightful tips that’ll help you make lasting impressions on those around you, so you can better move through the professional world and build the career you want.
Dress for Success
First impressions are always powerful, so make them count! Along with a stellar, professional resume and valuable work experience, a person’s immediate physical appearance can set the tone for an interaction in a dramatic way. Luckily it isn’t difficult to stay well-groomed and possess a couple of nice outfits for the work week.
Those who put on a clean presentation and who dress appropriately for jobs, presentations and important meetings are more likely to leave favorable first impressions. While you don’t need to be dressed to the nines in a designer suit, putting a bit of effort into your appearance goes a long way.
Encourage People to Talk About Themselves
Simply put, people are more likely to work well with you if they like you, and one of the best (and easiest) ways to get someone to like you is to show them that you are interested in who they are and what they have to say. People love to talk about themselves, especially if they’re communicating with someone who is genuinely interested and listening to them.
You can establish this dynamic by asking people questions about themselves. Of course, you can keep a good conversation going past 30 seconds by carefully paying attention to what people are saying so that your subsequent questions are on-point and relevant.
By asking people more questions and listening to their responses, you can get to know a lot about someone, which helps to build an even stronger relationship fast.
Smile and Be Pleasant
If you’re talking to someone and you have a sour face the entire time, or worse, aren’t paying attention, chances are good that the person with whom you’re speaking could be offended.
Those who keep a pleasant and engaging demeanor in social interactions tend to be much more well-liked than those who don’t. It may sound obvious, but simply smiling and being pleasant in your interactions can go a long way to motivate people to like you, and incentivize them to help you in the future.
Respect Reciprocity
What countless studies have found is that people feel obligated to reciprocate when favors are done for them. Simply doing small, unprompted favors for people is often enough to get them to like you, and people will be more willing to do you favors in turn.
If you follow this advice, you are more likely to get people to like you and do things for you. It might take a little more than a few minutes to motivate colleagues or managers to pull those bigger favors for you, like a raise, promotion or referral to a new job. However, by building trust on a daily basis, you can utilize small, but meaningful interactions to cultivate good will that’ll help you throughout your career.
Jordan Perez is a human resource expert with over 10 years experience helping HR managers and employees create better work relations. She’s also an avid freelance writer who has been published in online magazines and corporate websites. When she’s not engaged in HR developments, she loves hitting the road to see new places.
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