Decades of research proves that people choose whom they like. They buy from them, vote for them, and promote them. Being likeable gives us several additional advantages in the workplace. It helps us accomplish things through people, resolve conflicts with grace, get promoted faster, and be seen more positively among colleagues and clients.

In the digital age, much of our communication takes place using email and text messages. You may significantly improve your likeability factor, however, and standout by focusing on three simple actions: bring back the art of handwritten notes, put your smartphone away when talking to colleagues, and ditch email when it comes to delivering bad news.

Get in the habit of sending out handwritten thank you cards

Every Friday afternoon I sit down and I hand write three thank you notes. I thank clients, colleagues, vendors and anyone I feel gratitude towards. In the digital world, the art of handwritten notes is all but forgotten, which makes my handwritten notes stand out as special.

Commit to writing handwritten notes to three people this week. Take the time to write out a heartfelt thank you. You’ll make someone’s day and position yourself has highly likeable and memorable. Then, consider this as a weekly practice.

Put your devices away and focus squarely on the other person

It’s very common to see people check their smartphones several times during business meetings and even take calls or send texts. This behavior is becoming “the world we live in today.” However, when I’m delivering a keynote address, my cellphone is on airplane mode. I don’t want any vibrations or alerts during a keynote for any reason. My attention is fiercely focused on my audience, as it should be. When you’re meeting one-on-one with an employee or coworker or having lunch with a colleague, put your phone on silent or, even better, put your phone away. Focus your attention completely on the other person. Once you remove the distraction of your phone, squarely face the other person, make eye contact and truly listen. You’ll likely send a powerful message that could result in a stronger business relationship.

Don’t use email to give a customer bad news

Tim Sanders, best-selling author and former Yahoo! Executive, said in a keynote address: “At Yahoo!, I always told my folks, ‘Email is for saying yes and for exchanging information. If you want to say no, criticize or get into an emotionally charged issue, pick up the phone or do it in person’. Email fails to communicate your intentions, so it usually looks pretty insensitive.”

Certainly, it may take more time and effort on your part to pick up the phone and call a customer or colleague to communicate bad news, but the courtesy needs to be extended. Speaking personally to employees and clients by phone in the wake of problems gives you the opportunity to establish rapport, re-build trust, and offer alternatives, or a sincere and unreserved apology. Email communication is so vulnerable to miscommunication. Make life easier and friendlier by picking up the phone when you need to deliver bad news.

Make an effort to enhance connections with people by writing personal notes, putting distracting devices away when conversing, and refraining to use email for sensitive communication. When you do, you’ll strengthen work relationships and increase your likeability factor.

 

Myra Golden helps companies completely restore customer confidence in their brands after service failures. Considered one of the leading experts in customer recovery, she has helped hundreds of organizations rethink and redesign their complaint response processes so they are positioned to retain more customers, improve customer satisfaction, and increase profits. Myra has designed customer recovery programs for such companies as Verizon Business, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, National Car Rental, Michelin Tires and Frito Lay. She is co-author of Beyond WOW! The Service Leadership Approach to Exceptional Customer Service.


Sources Cited

Tim Sanders, keynote address, “The Likeability Factor,” Society of Consumer Affairs Annual Conference, Miami Beach Hotel, Miami, FL, October 13, 2003.