How to Make People Take You Seriously

It's nice when people enjoy your madcap sense of humor or adore your baby voice and childlike personality. It's not so nice when people don't take you seriously because you're too wacky, helpless or innocent. Use these ideas to change others' perceptions of you when you want to assert your feelings or ideas.

Instructions

1. Consider your appearance. Although it shouldn't matter, people will judge you on how you look. Dress in clothing that suits the occasion and tone down your makeup and accessories if you typically lean toward wild or trendy styles. Wearing a provocative outfit to a business meeting, for example, will detract from what you're saying.

2. Cut down on the jokes. It's great to have a reputation as the funny one, but when you always offer one-liners in lieu of intelligent conversation, constructive feedback or good ideas, people will begin to think you can't be serious about anything.

3. Speak clearly so people can understand you, but not so loudly that they want to tune you out. Plan what you're going to say ahead of time so you don't ramble or include unnecessary details. Keep your tone serious (but not self-important or harsh) and abandon the profanity, which will overshadow the message you're trying to convey.

4. Be assertive and confident to make people hear your ideas. Let everyone know you've worked hard to brainstorm and you have the team's best interests in mind if you've earned a reputation for being a flake or a one-man show.

5. Prove how trustworthy you are if someone no longer confides in you because you've lied or betrayed them in the past. Rebuild your relationship so they'll start taking you seriously. Offer your support, be a shoulder to cry on and volunteer favors and follow up on them, for example.