5 Ways to Know How the People You Work With Really Feel About You
Do you ever wonder how colleagues, contractors, coworkers, or clients really feel about working with you?
Lots of experts would tell you that it doesn’t matter whether people like you or not. The important thing is having the respect of the people you work with and for because your career is not a popularity contest.
And that’s true; your aim is to get your work done effectively. But it’s also true that both care and respect are important qualities to share with colleagues. Mutual admiration will help you succeed with each person you interact with, and in your career as a whole.
Maybe you’ve had a bad experience or two in the past — people spoke badly about you behind your back, or you were dropped by a client who made it personal — and you worry that everyone feels the same way.
After all, you can never be completely sure how everyone you interact with feels about you. And it’s awful to feel like people you work with downright despise you. In some cases, people have no choice but to continue working with someone they don’t like or respect, as you may have experienced on the other side of this unfriendly situation.
So if you’re curious about how colleagues really feel, here are 5 ways to know people you work with care about you and respect you.
1. They make time for you.
Avoiding phone calls, preventing meetings from happening, ignoring emails, and canceling plans are signs from colleagues that they just aren’t interested in interacting with you — even if they have to.
Maybe they do reply to your emails, but they always do so in a few curt words. Anyone who appreciates working with you will usually give you the time it takes to write hello, ask how you are, or sign off with a courteous line.
What about when you ask for help from colleagues? Do you generally receive it? That’s another telltale sign people care about you.
2. They give constructive criticism.
It’s one thing for a client or boss to berate you in a personal attack. But it’s another to get critical feedback that might sting in the moment, but later, you realize it was helpful advice.
That kind of constructive feedback, even if it is negative in nature, is actually a sign that a colleague cares about you enough to see you improve.
If they didn’t care about you, they wouldn’t say it to your face. Instead, it would probably be said behind your back.
3. They make eye contact with you.
When you can’t stand someone, you aren’t likely to look them in the eye. Subconsciously, you are afraid they might be able to tell how you really feel. In some cases, they might avoid in-person communication completely, preferring to stick to email even if you need to have a live conversation.
So look for eye contact as a sign that people don’t view you with hostility.
4. They keep you in the loop.
Skirting the rules or leaving you out of the chain of command is a sign that the people around you don’t have respect for you. While this certainly applies to people who report to you, it can also be the case with clients, colleagues, and collaborators.
In some cases, leaving you out of the loop might be deliberate. When you’re the last to know about things, it reflects poorly on you, and someone looking to sabotage your success might seize on that.
For instance, your IT contractor is supposed to let you know anytime email or your website will be down, even if a planned outage is scheduled for 2:00 AM. The first time they don’t tell you, you might give them a pass and assume they forgot. The second time, you have to wonder whether they just don’t care that people can’t contact you… or if they are allowing that to happen on purpose.
5. They ask you what you think.
If you don’t care for someone, you also don’t care about their opinion. So by valuing your input on a project or problem, they’re expressing that they value you.
Depending on the problem, this can also be a sign that they trust you enough to open up and share something vulnerable with you. If a colleague shares with you that they aren’t sure what the right next steps in their career are, or they don’t know how to handle a difficult client, they are trusting you with confidential information. Make sure you measure up to that level of trust by keeping the information between the two of you.
In the Long Run, the Nice Gal Wins
So what do you do if you suspect that respect and admiration is not shared between you and someone you work with? Next week, we’ll dive into how to have a constructive conversation without it breaking into a brawl.
In the meantime, remember the golden rule. Treat others as you want to be treated, and eventually, you will earn their favor and respect.
People might get away with bad behavior for a while, but eventually, it catches up with them.
I give my Celeste Giordano coaching clients strategies to succeed in both career and life. If you’re ready for the kind of success that will “Double Plus” your income while putting you on track for building a Legacy Business, contact me today.
I’m thrilled to share with you our latest edition of The Blueprint Magazine with the theme “Unlocking Your Full Potential!”
A few articles in this issue dive further into this topic:
- “New Year’s Resolutions: Make Them Simple and Easy to Accomplish” by Becca Tebon on page 7
- “Why Small Businesses Outsource IT Support and Services” by Jason Rush on page 8
- “Why 4D Communication is the Better Way of Selling” by Brigitta Hoeferle on page 15″
- Small Simple Changes Make All the Difference” by Joan Williams on page 19″
- Moving from Comfort with Courage” by Pauline Duncan-Thrasher on page 20
Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “double-plus” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.
To learn more about Celeste, click here.
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