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Christian Living

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Family Matters 01/05/19

Liked at Work, Better at Home!

happy office coworkers

Have you ever thought about how your workday impacts your relationships home?

Some of us have trouble separating a lousy day at work from our loved ones. It can be done, but you have to be intentional. And, you may want to work on those work relationships in order to be in a better mood at the end of the day.

Most of us want to be liked by our work colleagues. In fact, being likable on the job can take you far and make your workplace enjoyable.

The benefits of a good likability factor are many:

  • Bosses generally promote people they like.
  • Likeable people are given more opportunities on the job. 
  • Workers tend to follow leaders they like without a lot of complaints.
  • Being likeable also gives you a competitive edge in interviewing and getting jobs.

Most of us can stay positive on the job when things go well. But, what about when things aren't going so well? Can you still stay optimistic and positive? Likeable people can! Seeing the glass half full instead of empty carries over to home life as well.

Here's an easy characteristic to fix in order to be liked. Have good manners and grooming habits. This sounds obvious, but clean clothes, a shower, and good hygiene make you approachable. And cleaning up your mouth, as well as, your body is also a way to bring more people into your circle. Poor language skills and foul language are turn offs for many people in the workplace.

Humor makes the list of likeability, but it has to be the right type of humor. No off-color jokes or humor that makes people uncomfortable. Along with humor, people like someone who compliments and shows appreciation for a job well done. Now, I am not advocating giving insincere compliments, but research says even insincere compliments work! This speaks to the power of affirmation in all of our lives.

One other characteristic relates to insecurities. Of course, we all have them, but the likeable person controls them. Communicating your insecurities to a lot of people is a turn off. If you need a confidant at work, that is one thing, but discussing your insecurities with your co-workers is not a good idea. Better yet, wait and have that insecure conversation with your loved one who can reassure you!  

Finally, put on humility. Andrew Murray calls humility "the place of entire dependence on God." He adds, "Humility is not so much a grace or virtue along with others; it is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God, and allows Him as God to do all.... It is simply the sense of entire nothingness, which comes when we see how truly God is all, and in which we make way for God to be all."

Affirm your gratitude toward God and depend on Him in the workplace. As James 4:10 exhorts, "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." And humility is a desirable trait in all relationships!

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