Are You Visible, and Likeable?

An important factor to succeed at work (or in life) is to be visible.  One of the ways to be visible at the workplace is to be able to communicate and connect with others in a way that they like to listen and be with you.
 
A Columbia University study by Melinda Tamkins shows that success in the workplace is determined by popularity, not by who or what you know.  According to consultant Pam Holloway of About People, Tamkins’ study found that the workers who were recommended for pay increase or fast track promotion were seen as motivated, trustworthy and hardworking.  These are traits of ‘likeability’.
 
In his book, The Likeability Factor, author Tim Sanders noted these four elements to be likeable:
 
1.              Friendliness: your ability to communicate liking and openness to others
2.              Relevance: your capacity to connect with others' interests, wants, and needs
3.              Empathy: your ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people's feelings
4.              Realness: the integrity that stands behind your likeability and guarantees its authenticity
 
Which means, if you communicate and connect regularly with your colleagues, while exuding these four “Likeability” factors, your visibility at work increases.  When your visibility is elevated, your chances of getting promotion or a pay raise are much higher.
 
In this article, let’s take a look at 3 simple ways to increase “Likeability” so as to elevate your visibility at work:
 
1) Offer assistance to your colleagues:
Instead of just focusing on your work, take an interest in that of your colleagues’.  If you know of anyone who needs help in meeting deadlines, approach them.   It could also a service to the department especially if helping out could lead to better overall work function.
 
2) Be interested in your colleagues’ ‘beyond-work’ lives:
Take a step ahead than just a hi and bye at the office.  By taking interest in their life goals, families and hobbies, shows that you value them as people, not just merely as colleagues at work.
 
3) Pray for your colleagues’ and be happy for their successes
 How many a times did we pray for other people’s success, besides our own?  Hone the ability to feel happy for others by having an abundance mindset:  there is enough for everyone to enjoy life and benefit from.

Yours sincerely,
Hazriq Idrus
 
Hazriq Idrus is Asia's Trusted Applied Creativity and Speaking Strategist.  He founded The Speaking Factory Pte Ltd with a mission to help corporate professionals elevate their values & visibility in their industry.  Hazriq is also the author of The Stage Fright Antidote and co-authored four other books.  Connect with Hazriq at [email protected].

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