People do business with people they know, LIKE and trust. The unpacking of this 10-word transformative sentence on how how to elevate your business success became one of our all-time popular blogs. You can read it here.

Regarding the “LIKE” component ➜ You have choices on who you want to hire, who you want to promote and who you want to grab lunch with. You’ll pick the person you like over the person you don’t like (you know the ones).

Michael Thompson, career coach and blogger on “Ladders”, suggests these four ways to become even more likeable without saying a whole lot ➜

👍🏼  Remember Anthony Bourdain’s advice.

I quote Thompson who quotes Bourdain… so please do not think less of me for being rather crude and blunt here!  Bourdain said, “Don’t be a d*ck”.

• Don’t be the one who looks down on people. Treat everyone with respect.
• Don’t speak poorly of others. According to spontaneous trait inference the way you describe others is how other people see you.
• “Other d*ck moves include gossiping, being a one-upper or over-interrupter and being negative all the time.”

👍🏼  Be kind more than being Alpha.

Regarding first impressions you heighten your executive presence when you exhibit strong eye contact, good posture and a firm handshake. But Number One on my list is a smile. Your open facial expression is contagious and promotes kindness. Thompson adds, “Aim for warmth.”

👍🏼  Show people you care.

You do this by listening. Thompson shares, “Make sure the other person feels like an equal partner and the best way to do that is to shut up and listen when they’re speaking.”

Listening takes work! Do a call-back from a prior conversation. Listen for commonality. Ask questions.

👍🏼  Get micro on people’s names.

Sure, it’s impressive to remember and use the names of your colleagues and department teams, and everyone else in your business. But, Thompson asks, “Do you want to instantly boost your likeability?” He brilliantly suggests to recall and use the names of your colleagues and teams’ children or other loved ones. By going this extra step you show that you really listen and care. And that makes you likeable.

5 billionaires walk into a bar…

Thompson closes by quoting Greg Isenberg, growth advisor for TikTok US, who interviewed five billionaires on life lessons. Isenberg shared, “Likeable people win. People sense those good vibes. It does wonders for your startup, career, and life.”  I agree.

© 2025 Karen Cortell Reisman, Speak For Yourself® CEO. All rights reserved.