Show Up, Do Your Job And Be A Nice Person by Marc LeVine

I feel like anything I'm doing in life, I try to stay myself and be as honest and true as I can be, you know, and be a nice person. I've always been taught to be kind to people and have an open mind about life. Liam Hemsworth

You might not think it, but FRIENDLINESS is considered a soft skill. That is a sad commentary on life because being friendly should come naturally to all of us. It does not. There are many reasons why some seem friendlier than others.?Unfriendliness may be related to poor upbringing, choosing not to be social and or emotional struggles.

Many professional resumes list “friendliness” as a desirable personal trait and cite such pleasing examples as having a 99% customer satisfaction rating. ?Their customers obviously enjoy doing business with them. What boss would not want to have more people like that on his/her team?

Friendly people are a delight to have around in any setting. They keep things light and spirits high. On a work team they often bring can-do, gung-ho attitudes that tend to make everyone around them better. They are commonly described as happy people who laugh out loud, back slap hard and cheer for their team, always. Being liked is very important to them and they tend to go out of their way to help their co-workers succeed.?

Being friendly is helpful in most business situations. When a conversation becomes heated and is obviously headed in the wrong direction someone needs to step in and redirect it to calmer waters. People-people are often best at accomplishing this. They are well liked, so they have sway.

Be careful you don’t alienate people by being too friendly. ?This happens.?You must be always genuine and authentic with others.?No one likes to be patronized by phonies and people with agendas, looking for something from us. ?Others who pick up on false faces with fake motives are immediately turned off by their disingenuousness.?It’s like politicians kissing babies to win more votes. We know what they want.

Avoid trying to impress others by agreeing with them – ALL THE TIME – right or wrong. That is considered “fawning” and calls one’s integrity into question. This is especially true when their extreme “friendliness” overlooks and excuses wrong and or unpleasant behaviors. You can be considered a friendly person yet still be expected to call out inappropriate behaviors. When we truly like someone, we say and do what is necessary to guide and support them. ?We act in a considerate and appropriate manner but can say what must be said regarding disagreements. It is being honest That’s what friends are for.

By the way, the flip side of being friendly is being churlish. ?A sourpuss is very unpleasant to be around and is often contentious; looking to argue with just about everyone. They are never gracious or agreeable. ?And they take no responsibility for hurting other people’s feelings. No one seems to want them around, especially employers. They are sure to turn off clients and damage team morale.

Here are some basic recommendations to help develop and properly calibrate friendliness:

1.??????Avoid trying to please people by showing approval for everything they do and say.

2.??????Stay out of conversations which are not your business.

3.??????Remember that there are times when we must let people know they are doing/saying something wrong. ?This is not meanness. It is offering caring and support.

Employers ALWAYS seek people with positive attitude, who will be friendly to others, eager to work, and generally a pleasure to be around. If you are a friendly person, you will be able to keep things positive especially if you’re working in a fast-paced, high-stress work environment.?That is when friendliness comes in very handy.?

Looking for a new job??Visit?www.themosystems.com/careers

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The Author

Listen to Marc's latest interview on The AutomationBlog Podcast with Shawn Tierney.

Marc LeVine?is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions and Learning and Development Lead at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021. His prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ