Source | www.forbes.com | Sally Blount
The fact is: we’re all biased, even when we have the best intentions, both consciously and unconsciously. That means that most of us can’t all bring our whole, authentic selves to work each day and be embraced and rewarded just as we are. The human mind just doesn’t work that way.
Think about it: The success of organizations relies on relationships, and we all like and trust some people more than others. That sense of connection is driven by many factors – everything from someone’s sense of humor to being perceived as physically and culturally similar.
The importance of likeability
People talk a lot about the double bind for women; that is, the research that shows that likeability often matters more than competence in how women are evaluated at work. The reality is that, for anyone who presents as obviously different from the dominant “norm,” being high on likeability can be very important to success. And it’s not just at the start of one’s career. Quite the contrary. Likeability, relational smoothness and going with the social flow become even more important as one moves up the ranks toward the C-suite and boardroom.
