How to Get Along With Just About Anyone

There are some people we just seem to click with right away with seemingly no effort required. Then there's everyone else. Be it with coworkers at work, the boss, at social gatherings, or family reunions, you are bound to encounter at least a few people every now and again who you might not find it so easy to get along with. This article will provide tips and a simple guide to braving those necessary interations with just about anyone- even if they aren't your favorite.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• An Open Mind
• Friendly Posture
• A Warm and Personal Greeting
• A Wonderful Smile

1. When you see someone approaching at about twenty feet away, make eye contact and give a genuine smile. This is a friendly way to begin an interation with anyone because it makes you appear approachable.
2. As the person gets closer and within speaking distance (usually at about ten to five feet), give a friendly greeting. For example, saying, "Hello, how are you," is formal. Another friendly approach is something like, "Good afternoon (name of person). How are you doing?"
3. If the interaction with the person is for a few moments, or a few hours, it is best to start with a question. People love nothing more than talking about themselves. Ask the person how their weekend was, what they did last night, or if they caught the sports game on television. If you know the person a little better (perhaps this is a boss), ask about their children of spouse. People like it when others care enough to ask them about their lives.
4. Listen to the responce.
5. Try to find something in common with the person. Both of you have kids? Talk about that for a while. If you two both love football, compare scores and game highlights.
6. If you are unable to find something in common right away, ask them to talk about themselves more. Continue to listen. Often people have more in common than they might think. Give the person a chance. They might surprise you!
7. When the conversation begins to slow, it is okay to end the interaction. Saying something like, "It was so great to catch up with you," is a goood way to do this.
8. Always smile at the end of the interaction. Make sure the smile is genuine- people are not dumb and can sense a fake smile!

Tips & Warnings

• Manners go a long way. People really appriciate politeness.
• Make sure you are being genuine. People can sense a faker a mile away.
• Smiling counts!
• Try to use open body language instead of closed body language.
• Don't act false! Be yourself and try to keep an open mind when having a conversation with someone.
• Make sure to be polite about that person even after the interaction is finished. People notice when others are friendly to their face and whisper behind their backs.