How to A More Likeable Person In 10 Steps
Likeable people were all less likeable at one point in time. They simply decided to work at becoming more engaged, more respectful, and more likeable. Now they seem to work magic and develop friendships wherever they go. You can be like that too! You simply have to develop the habits we’ve outlined below and you’ll have the social life, the career, and the life that being more likeable brings you. There are certain types of favourable behaviour that are not as common as they once were and I think this is a good time to consider a few of them.
1. Don’t be Insecure
Likeable people don’t come from a place of insecurity. They go into every interaction with the thoughts “I bet me and this other person would get along great, I should really get to know them better.” And then move on from there. Start from a positive place and others will notice. If you’re not there yet, faking your confidence will help put your insecurities at ease.
2. Lose the power pose
It’s great to display nonverbal self-confidence, but going too far could make it seem like you’re trying to establish your importance. Next time you meet someone, relax, step forward, tilt your head towards them slightly, smile, and show that you’re the one who is honoured by the introduction, not them. We all like people who like us. If a person shows you they’re genuinely happy to meet you, you’ll instantly start to like them.
3. Be Genuine
Likeable people never try to be something they aren’t. If you don’t know something, admit it. If you don’t agree with a statement someone else has made, don’t grin and bare it. Instead, honestly admit that you don’t see it the same way as the other person without putting them down. Also try to see where they’re coming from, and strive to understand their point of view.
4. Don’t Judge
People can sense a judgemental person from miles away. You give it away without even having said a word. Even if you smile and hide your negative feelings, the people around you can sense that you have just formed a poor opinion of them. Rather than seeing others as good or bad, try to understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, choices, and mistakes. Likeable people make this their philosophy and, as long as no one is getting hurt, they never pass judgment on the value or morality of another person.
5. Have Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s feelings and point of view. This is a very important social skill because all people want to be understood and empathy permits you to genuinely understand them. Empathy is something you can develop mostly by interacting with others, going beyond superficial conversations and actively trying to understand them. Also, try reading books with complex characters, learning psychology and observing people and their behaviour.
6. Be Positive
Negativity exists in abundance in the world; we see it daily in the news, and on social media amongst people. You however don’t have to be a part of the negativity. Be a positive voice in a world where everyone sounds a little like everyone. Being positive will make you a pleasure to talk to and more people will want to talk to you.
7. Smile often
Never underestimate the power of a smile. It elevates your mood and it lifts the spirits of those you smile at. For example, for an entire day before you say a word to anyone, smile first. If you’re walking past them, smile and say hello. Notice their reaction. Most will smile back and when they do, you will feel even better.
8. They Don’t Compete
Conversations aren’t competitions. Likeable people view conversations as an opportunity to connect and create deep relationships with others. If you want to be more likeable, enter every conversation with the goal to make the other person feel liked and respected. This will change the tone of the interactions you have, and make everyone involved more likely to enjoy it.
9. Say please and thank you
This is a simple thing, yet so often overlooked. When you want something, you say please and when someone does something nice for you, say thank you. This may sound like a minor thing, but when you let people know that you appreciate what they do for you, it helps establish a friendly and respectful environment around you. People will know how to treat you because of the way you treat them.
10. Don’t Shy Away
Likeable people have tons of friends! This isn’t magic–it’s because they intentionally befriend tons of people. They meet people; they get those peoples’ contact information; they befriend those people and spend time with them; and then they go meet more people, never losing touch with anyone they’ve gotten to know. You can’t be more likeable and not meet new people. You have to get out of your comfort zone and build lots of relationships if you want to become more likeable.
