We’ve all had them in our office–the likable personality hire who seems to get away with everything. Likable workers dress the part, act the part, and play the game. However, they’re always late, do as little work as possible, and are often toxic to the environment. But yet they remain popular, and management loves them.
So what’s going on here? It’s time to reveal why these likable personality hires are successful even when they don’t follow the rules.
The Power of Networking
It may sound cliche, but networking plays a huge role in success at work. It doesn’t matter if someone is competent. If they have a great network of influential people around them, chances are they will get ahead regardless. These likable personality hires will often quickly make powerful friends in upper management. They leverage their friendships to wield influence that protects them from consequences for their bad behavior or lack of competence.
This is especially true regarding promotions or other perks requiring management approval. If a personality hire has friends in positions of authority, it becomes much easier for them to get what they want without putting in any hard work. It gives them an unfair advantage over those who have to demonstrate their skills and dedication to advance up the ladder.
The Secret Benefits of Charisma
In addition to their robust networks, many of these personality hires also possess charisma. Likable coworkers have a certain charm that makes them naturally likable and persuasive. Charisma can go a long way in business. Winning people over with charm and wit can help land deals or negotiate better terms for yourself or your company. It also gives likable personality hires an edge when it comes time for performance reviews. Likable coworkers build up goodwill with management. So they are given more leniency with rules than someone who hasn’t built relationships with management.
It’s All About Impression Management
Likable personality hires leverage a workplace trend called impression management. Impression management is a way of branding themselves positively. While we may like to think that we make decisions based on facts and logic, an emotional component also comes into play. This explains why people can ignore obvious signs of incompetence or bad behavior from their coworkers and still love them anyway.
In essence, these likable personality hires have mastered the art of impression management. They know how to present themselves so that others will see them favorably without considering their shortcomings or bad behavior. They may be great with flattery or compliments, try hard to fit in with their team members, or even just be really good at networking and making friends.
Nobody likes seeing someone skate by without putting in any effort while still being rewarded handsomely for it. Especially when that person isn’t even very good at their job! But unfortunately, networking and charisma often trump hard work and talent with likable personality hires. Additionally, impression management matters when it comes time for promotions or other favors from management.
That’s why understanding the power of networking, charisma, and impression management are vital to getting ahead in any workplace setting. Using these skills strategically will give you an edge over those who don’t understand the importance of making connections and charming those around you into liking you!
Even if your popular likable personality hires don’t always follow the rules, understanding why they are successful can help you become successful too!
