How to Make People Like You

Grandpa’s award winning personality opened doors, and his great character held them open long enough to extract opportunity. When us grandkids were mad or bored the old man would counsel us to go off by ourselves and “work on our personalities” as though it was a painting or a novel that needed writing. In many ways I guess it was just that. Your personality is a work of art that colors the lives of the people you meet, one way or the other.

I’ll never forget the time I asked my Grandpa if he was popular in high school. He said of course, and told me that people have always liked him and invited him out. Why? Because…

1. He smiles and radiates lots of positive energy. When presented with a dilemma he always sandwiches negative criticism inside the positive aspects of the case.

2. Grandpa is a wizard at remembering people’s names and he uses them in conversation with the people he’s talking to. He told me once that a person’s name is the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

3. The old man is a great listener and often encourages others to talk about themselves.

4. And once he determines what subjects his guests find most interesting, he will ask lots of questions and genuinely try to make himself an expert on the matter.

5. And in doing this Grandpa makes the other person feel important, sincerely.

6. Ultimately, my Grandpa is so darn likable because he’s genuinely interested in other people and it shows in the way he interacts with all of humanity. Yes, his personality is an absolute masterpiece!

Here are some tips to interact better with others:

Begin in a friendly way.

Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.

Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.

Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.

Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.

Be sympathetic to the other person’s ideas and desires.

Appeal to the nobler motives.