8 Great Tips on How to Get Along With People

The ability to get along with people is an indispensable skill and a component of emotional intelligence.  

Research suggests (Center for Creative Leadership) that eighty-five percent of success in life is determined by one's ability to interact and work effectively with others. 

According to psychologist Sidney Jourard, most of our happiness in life is derived from our capacity to build and maintain successful relationships—conversely, most of our unhappiness results from the inability to get along with people. 

Equally interesting, in a study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B and conducted at Trinity College Dublin, scientists discovered that humans started to evolve more complex brains when they engaged in cooperation and teamwork; that is, getting along and working well with others. 

Fortunately, we can all improve our 'people skills' and, in the process, boost our emotional intelligence, which will benefit our overall well-being. 

Enjoy the relevant article on: Emotional Intelligence

Here are 8 Great Tips on How to Get Along With People:

1. Be relaxed and comfortable with yourself. When you are comfortable with yourself, you automatically put others at ease. Even the most socially awkward person relaxes in the company of a comfortable, relaxed person. 

Once there is an atmosphere of ease, any interaction becomes smoother and more agreeable. 

2. Be interested and attentive. Nothing derails interaction or communication with someone more than behaving distractedly or uninterestedly. It sends the message that the other person is unimportant to you or that you have better things to do than be with them. 

It is very difficult to connect or collaborate with someone when you are not present or paying attention. 

3. Be open-minded and flexible. In our increasingly diverse culture, being open-minded is more important than ever. 

If we approach an interaction with narrow, preconceived notions, it puts the other person on the defensive, which, in turn, prevents us from getting along or working cooperatively with that person. 

Likewise, being flexible with your time and activities and willing to have new experiences makes you easy to work or play with. 

4. Avoid being judgmental (of people or their opinions). "Be curious, not judgmental." Walt Whitman wrote. 

When we meet someone and judge them based on their looks or demeanor, we tend to label them and, therefore, thwart the possibility of learning new and interesting aspects about who they are. We also make it difficult to understand and relate to them, key elements for getting along. 

5. Be pleasant. Everyone loves to be around a pleasant person. Pleasant people are polite, agreeable, genuine, and sincere. 

A pleasant person engenders trust in others and makes it easy for people to share ideas, opinions, and information – all of which are paramount for meaningful interactions. 

6. Avoid complaining or unloading your problems on others. We all need input and advice from our friends or mentors occasionally. However, it is inadvisable to make it a practice. 

Constantly complaining makes you seem self-centered, negative, and unable to resolve your own problems. We all prefer to be around positive, optimistic people who contribute to our worldview rather than bring us down. 

If you acquire a reputation as a complainer, people will run when they see you and want to avoid engaging with you. 

7. Be considerate. Being warm and considerate of others encourages them to let their guard down and remove any barriers that might hinder a good social exchange. 

Showing consideration for others has the added benefit of elevating the feel-good chemicals of dopamine, oxytocin, and other endorphins for you and the recipient. 

How can you not have a robust exchange under such circumstances? 

8. Maintain good character and integrity. Good character and integrity are the best qualities you can bring to any business or personal relationship. Nothing sets a solid foundation more fully for continued growth, trust, and cooperation. 

In the workplace, character and integrity promote a positive culture of open communication, exchange of creative ideas, and good decision-making. 

Moreover, possessing good character makes you an excellent team player and engenders togetherness and cooperation, which, in turn, raises the level of accomplishment on any project. 

Character and integrity foster trust, intimacy, and the longevity of relationships. Getting along with people is highly important, whether at a personal or workplace level. 

Success in any life endeavor is inevitable when one has the social skills and emotional intelligence to relate to a wide range of people. 

As Theodore Roosevelt said, "The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."  

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