Are You the Unlikeable One in Your Office?

We all want to be liked, and that includes being liked by our workplace peers. And being liked at work isn’t just a matter of feelings or of ego. When you’re not liked, it’s hard to be an effective leader; it’s difficult to collaborate; it’s frankly a challenge to get much of anything done within the context of the team.

So my question today is: Are you unlikeable?

Do you do things that make it difficult for other people to respect or get along with you?

Let me offer some food for thought… some traits that are common among unlikeable people. If you’re guilty of any of these things, you may want to really stop and think about how your peers perceive you, and brainstorm some ways to make yourself a more likeable team member.

Signs of Unlikeable Team Members

Name-dropping. Nobody likes it when you constantly mention the famous or interesting people you know, or rub it in that you’ve worked on a special project with the boss or with a higher manager. Name-dropping reeks of insecurity.

Humble bragging. Backdoor brags are still brags, and they’re still annoying. Giving yourself phony “criticism” for working too hard or being too invested in the team’s success can be a real turn-off.