Characteristics of a Likable Person

It is easy for people to convince themselves that they don’t need to be likable. The difficult truth is even the biggest introvert needs to be liked by at least one person otherwise, it’s a really lonely world out there. If you find yourself not being included in work lunches or Friday evening plans, you may want to do some things that you probably already do more often and with a conscious thought process to make yourself more likable. There are certain habits that people who are likable often have.

In our day to day lives usually we see the same people every day. There are people we like to be around and others we generally would rather avoid or not see at all. You see them coming towards you and you immediately start coming up with ways to avoid having a conversation with them. On the flip side, there are people you can’t wait to see on a Monday morning to share details of your weekend because they are just nice people to be around. These people have really good social skills and they tend to be very likable.

Some of the habits noted below are things you may have noticed about people who are likable. They are habits that you may already have but need to do more often.

1. You are not a know-it-all.
You don’t jump into conversations and act like you know everything. You listen to other people and you ask appropriate questions. You tend to make people feel good about themselves. People find themselves gravitating to you for advice or just small talk.

2. You mind your own business.
You aren’t a snob but you generally don’t give your input where it is not needed. It is quite annoying when you have a person in the office who eavesdrop on conversations and provides their opinions when they aren’t invited to do so. You know when you are needed and when it is a good idea to keep a low profile.

3. You don’t hold grudges.

You let things go especially when the argument is inconsequential. You have learned over time to be the bigger person which makes you win people’s admiration. People like you because they have a clean slate with you. You are not a pushover because you let people know what they have crossed the line but you also don’t hold it against them in the long run.

4. You are patient.
You give people opportunities, room to grow, and space to inherently make mistakes. You know that everything in life has a learning curve and you give people around you a chance to grow into themselves. This makes you more likable because people can trust you. You are often the person people come to for help around the office if something isn’t working.

                                                                   
5. You give compliments.

You are sure to make people smile by giving a few compliments here and there. It is said that a good compliment could brighten a person's day; my day has been made better countless number of times just by good remarks. Human beings always have a soft spot for people who never forgets to point out the good in what they do.

6. You notice the good things about people.
Sometimes, it is difficult to work with people who have different personalities especially when they are so different from our own. You are able to see the good in people and focus more on it than on the bad which has opened many opportunities for you because you are likable. You are able to capitalize on the good things and people feel appreciated around you.

7. You don’t jump into conclusions.

There is nothing more annoying than someone who doesn’t know all the facts forming an inappropriate or unfair conclusion. You take in the details and weigh all the facts. That way you don’t come of as unfair or biased. People respect you and like you more because you take time to analyze issues before making premature conclusions.

8. You are genuine.
It is becoming harder to meet genuine people these days which makes you more likable. You are not phony and you also don’t entertain fake people. You give constructive criticism and people often come to you when they have an issue they need to resolve because they know you genuinely care about them. Once you have built a reputation for being genuine, anything you say or do for them comes from a good place. When people need your help they know they can count on you to provide adequate support without taking all the credit.

9. You are generous.

You never think too much about giving when you have. You really do not mind paying for the movie ticket or helping a friend in need. No one hates a generous person except of course there's something deeper. Generous people constantly enjoy love and admiration from a lot of people. 

10. You are a confidant.
You can be relied on to keep people’s secrets. You do not betray confidences and people trust you. You know how sensitive information can be and you are keen to ensure that you don’t let the people that trust you down.

 By Ihechi Opara