Not everyone is going to be your best friend or your coveted work bff, and that’s okay. Even if you don’t particularly click with a person doesn’t mean you can’t get along, however.
Cultivating connections with people, even if they don’t become one of your nearest and dearest, is an important skill to have because you won’t see eye-to-eye with everyone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find common ground.
Executive coach Mel Savage took to TikTok to explain how learning to get along with others is an especially important gift in the workplace. She said, “Being able to work with anyone, and I mean anyone, is an invaluable skill. People will pay for less drama and more results.” She also offered tried and true tips to ensure you learn this skill and become an agreeable asset in the office.
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Just like you’d like to be accepted for who you are, everyone around you also has that desire. You can’t change the way people act or function, no matter how hard you try — even if you’re in a position of leadership.
“Wishing someone was different only brings you disappointment,” this Savage explained. “They’re totally fine. Instead, accept them as they are. Leaders know to work with what they have.”
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Instead of wishing someone had different personality traits, learn to work with their strengths to help them succeed. There’s more than one way to complete any task, and that’s part of the beauty of working with all different kinds of people — you might actually learn something new.
“You like it when people are nice and patient, so you go first,” she Savage said. “You can’t control them, but you can decide to be appreciative yourself.”
People thrive when they are happy and feel supported. And when people are thriving they are productive.
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Many corporate leaders suggest there’s one specific work principle that drives a leader’s relationship with their peers: work-life balance. How well can you support it? How empathetic and kind can you be in advocating for it? How important is it to you and can you demonstrate a healthy balance?
Support outside activities for your employers. Foster open communication and respect among peers. If you expect people to be openly communicative, asking for advice and seeking out help, be their example.
We can’t force anyone to do anything, but we can lead the way and make them feel supported in learning.
Our thoughts create our reality. It’s an idea that’s harped on across industries, from manifestation to mental health, but it’s not so clearly accepted in corporate culture. However, especially for leaders in a position of influence, it can make all the difference to understand.
“What you think about a person is going to be a filter for how easy it’s going to be to get along with them,” Savage said. “What you think about them is a choice that you’re making every day.”
Instead of focusing on all the ways that their “weaknesses” or downfalls are going to affect your daily life and productivity, focus on their strengths and what you enjoy about them.
When you bring positivity into the office, it spreads.
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Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories
