Humblebragging
Humble-bragging comes across as insincere and arrogant. Like the name suggests, humble-bragging involves hiding an achievement behind a complaint or a casual comment. At best, humblebrags come off as inauthentic and cringey; at worst, they appear rude and insensitive. You’re better off just sharing your achievement instead of beating around the bush. What Not to Say: “I went to the car dealership yesterday, but I had such a hard time picking between an Audi and a Porsche.” What to Say: “I’m so excited–I put a downpayment on my new car yesterday!”
Overly serious attitude
It’s hard to get along with someone who can’t find humor in anything. Just to be clear, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being on task and taking your work seriously, but try not to let that focus bleed into your day-to-day conversations. Don’t be afraid to crack a smile, say something funny, or laugh at someone else’s joke. The better you play with others, the more likable you’ll be! Let’s say some compliments your outfit: What Not to Say: “Did you not like my other outfits?” What to Say: “Thanks so much! The ol’ jeans and cardigan were getting a little boring, so I wanted to change things up.”
Lack of engagement
Nobody likes feeling ignored or brushed aside during a conversation. Instead, always practice active listening during your chats, whether you’re talking with a friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or perfect stranger. Always ask thoughtful follow-up questions when the person is done talking, and take a moment to rehash exactly what they said. Use empathetic language, like “I can tell that this is really weighing on you” or “That situation sounds really exasperating.” Make clear eye contact throughout the conversation while keeping your posture nice and relaxed. Let the person finish their statement instead of interrupting. Leave your phone in your pocket, even if you’ve just gotten a notification.
Low emotional intelligence
Emotionally unintelligent people are almost impossible to get along with. No one wants to spend time around a glorified child who’s always yelling at others, passing the buck, calling people names, and making impulsive decisions. Acting like an adult is a great way to be treated like an adult; plus, it’ll win you more points in the likeability category. Here are some other emotionally unintelligent behaviors to be on the lookout for: Keeping conversations self-centered Bullying people Lying to avoid the consequences
Name-dropping
Name-dropping comes across as a bit needy and desperate. It won’t bring you any street cred with your peers–it just looks like you’re banking on someone else’s status to give yourself more credibility. What Not to Say: “I went to the same college as Tom Brady.” What to Say: “I went to the University of Michigan–it was pretty cold, but the football games were great. Go Wolverines!”
Spreading rumors
Rumors are a cheap, ineffective way to connect with others. Rude, hurtful gossip might boost your popularity in the short term, but it doesn’t get you any long-term credibility. Over time, people will view you as insecure, mean, immature, and definitely not likable. Instead of spreading negative rumors, spread positivity among your friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. You might say: “I heard that Sharon volunteers at the animal shelter every weekend. Isn’t that awesome?” “I bumped into Matt at a blood drive, and he said it was his fourth time donating this year. What a great guy!” “Katie worked an extra 2 hours to get everything ready for tomorrow. I wish I had her work ethic!”
Close-mindedness
It’s tough to get along with a person who only sees the world in black and white. Closed-mindedness can manifest in many different ways, from blatant intolerance to an unwillingness to see things from a different point of view. In any case, being close-minded definitely doesn’t endear you to other people. Try using these ideas to approach your day-to-day conversations and situations with a more open mind: Asking questions Spending time with open-minded people Staying calm during a difficult conversation or debate
Oversharing
Oversharing builds awkwardness and discomfort, not friendship. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being vulnerable around friends and family–the real key is building a strong relationship first. Some people assume that sharing personal details about themselves can build this strong relationship, but this isn’t actually the case. Instead, oversharing makes your conversational partner confused, uncomfortable, and definitely not a huge fan of yours. What Not to Say: “Visited my doctor yesterday and got my sleeping pill prescription refilled. I’m definitely sleeping well tonight!” What to Say: “Do you have any tips on how to relax and unwind after a long day of work?”
Lack of empathy
Empathy is an essential way to connect and relate to others. When you approach your conversations and relationships without empathy, you’re setting yourself for plenty of missed connections and friendships. Plus, no one wants to chat with someone who doesn’t make an effort to understand what the other person going through. Try sprinkling some extra empathy into your conversations with these tips: Making good eye contact Mirroring the other person’s facial expressions Labeling another person’s feelings and experiences
Complaining
No one wants to hang around someone who’s always killing the mood. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with the occasional “I hate Mondays” or “The traffic was awful” kind of complaint. Still, you don’t want to be a glorified fountain of negativity, either. People don’t like spending time around Debbie Downers! Check out these ideas that will help you embrace positivity rather than negativity: Practicing gratitude Offering compliments Practicing mindful breathing Trying compassion meditation
One-upping
Acting like a show-off won’t score you any points with your peers. In fact, one-upping is actually a huge turn-off that keeps the people around you at arm’s length. Instead of inserting yourself into the conversation, take some time to compliment and appreciate the other person’s accomplishments. What Not to Say: “That’s great that you got 1450 on your SAT. I just checked my results, and I actually got 1550!” What to Say: “Congrats on your SAT score! All of that hard work and studying must have paid off.”
Unreliability
People won’t flock to your side if they can’t rely on you. Forgetting the occasional appointment or meeting isn’t the end of the world, but missing multiple obligations definitely won’t get you in a person’s good graces. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to stay organized and at the top of your game, like: Organizing commitments by priority level Saying no when you have too much on your plate Getting your daily checklist done consistently
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