Likeability Matters for Your Career
Many people don’t want to believe it or face it. Likeability matters and will play a role in what happens next for your career.
You may see likeability connected with, and labeled as, bias, unconscious bias, or even stereotyping. Regardless of the label it matters for what happens next.
Two kids in the lunch room. One belches loudly and other kids giggle, a different kid does it and for some unknown reason it is totally unacceptable.
Does something like this ever happen?
The Hypocrisy Of It All
We see this play out in the grown-up world too. One person seems to get tolerance or acceptance while another with very similar actions or behaviors is granted none.
If you watch any news, it is in politics too.
Organized religion doesn’t escape it. What is OK for someone in one religious community is often perceived differently by another.
Quickly, we may label some of this behavior as hypocrisy.
All of this is important for your career. It matters because building and forming relationships will impact what happens next.
Likeability Matters
There will always be the naysayers, those who say loudly whatever is on their mind. Those with actions or behaviors that are sometimes labeled as not having a filter. They seemingly say everything that comes to their mind regardless of the impact or impressions to others.
When people apply filters to words and behaviors it seems to make a difference.
The next time you have an impulse to say or do exactly what’s on your mind pause to consider the long-term impact.
Impulse is typically driven by an emotion. Anger, fear, or frustration to name a few.
Notice when you feel emotions coming on. Think twice before you impact everything you’re working towards.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
