How to Get Along with Everyone at Work – Even if You Don’t Like Them
Regardless of your industry and profession, building workplace relationships plays a key role in your success, longevity and overall happiness. In an ideal world, everyone would get along perfectly with one another. But unfortunately, that’s just not realistic – and you’re simply not going to like every single one of your co-workers.
Despite this, it’s important to work well with others on the job even if you don’t necessarily like them. Here are some tips for brushing up on your interpersonal skills in the workplace.
Be Respectful and Professional
The way that you carry yourself and your overall behavior will have a significant impact on how strong your relationships are. If you’re respectful, conscientious and courteous, it’s should be fairly easy to win others over. That’s why you should always conduct yourself with the utmost professionalism and treat everyone with respect.
Listen to Others
If you act self-absorbed and are only interested in yourself, it’s probably going to cause a rift between you and the rest of your workmates. That’s why you should make it a priority to listen to others and not interrupt them when they’re trying to make a point. A large part of developing emotional intelligence involves learning listening skills and understanding that conversation is like a tennis match where people take turns speaking and not a one sided affair.
Take a Genuine Interest in Peoples’ Lives
One thing that almost all people have in common is the desire to be heard. You can do wonders for your interpersonal skills by simply asking about what’s going on in the lives of others. This doesn’t mean being nosey and asking overly personal questions. It simply means getting to know your co-workers on a deeper level and learning about their interests, viewpoints, goals, etc.
Avoid Gossip
Gossiping and talking behind peoples’ backs is perhaps the quickest ways to create resentment and mistrust. It can also kill morale and can ultimately results in a toxic workplace. For that reason, you should never start any sort of gossip or conversation that’s going to have a negative impact. If you see others engaging in gossip, you should stay out of it and not get caught up in the mix.
Getting along with others at work isn’t rocket science. It simply requires you to have a basic understanding of human psychology and emotional intelligence. By conducting yourself in the right way and putting forth the effort to get to know people, you should be able to establish some solid relationships and create a harmonious atmosphere in your workplace.
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