7 tips to help you get along easily with a colleague at work

Getting on someone’s good side no matter who he or she may be is just as important as sitting down every day and doing your actual job. This helps your team work better together. And the better you work together, the happier and more enjoyable your actual job can be. All it takes is a little extra effort.

See 7 ways on how to get started

1. Throw Out a Compliment

You know how much it brightens your day to walk into the office and have a colleague compliment your recent presentation, or even mention how flattering your new hair is. So it is no surprise that your little comment could have the same positive effect. Instead of focusing solely on your own to-do list and meetings, recognize that everyone around you is in the same boat and could use a kind word. It does not have to be a significant accomplishment, just an acknowledgement would do.

2. Make the Conversation About the Other Person

More often than not, we love talking about ourselves almost so much that we tend to shut everyone else out. Knowing that, the key to getting on someone’s good side is as easy as letting someone talk about himself or herself and simply listening, rather than interrupting their every sentence with the word “I”

3. Ask for Feedback

Nobody is perfect. If you are normally the employee who never asks for assistance or always seems to have everything put together, you may appear as intimidating. You should learn to show people that you are not above making mistakes by asking for feedback or seeking out constructive criticism.

4. Stay Away From Gossip

Your co–workers will feel more comfortable approaching you if they know they can count on you not to spread rumors. You would also feel a lot better about yourself when people recognize you as a good friend rather than a backstabber.

5. Be Thankful

Saying “thank you” can be all it takes to get on someone’s good side. This is because we do not really say these two words enough. We have become so accustomed to expecting certain things at work, sometimes entitled, that we forget to be grateful for the little things.

6. Offer to Help

There are those days when we wish we had an extra pair of hands or someone to run errands for us. Well, you cannot be expected to take everything off another person’s plate, but even just offering to bring lunch while he or she is trying to finish a task could actually make someone’s day.

7. Initiate an Interaction

Some employees are shy or more introverted, so they might seem like they don’t like you simply because they don’t know how to approach you. So, be the first one to initiate and get to know someone.