Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka looks at the book The Likeability Factor: How to Boost Your L-Factor and Achieve Your Life’s Dreams by Yahoo! executive Tim Sanders.
Here are a few big ideas for HR professionals and others from Yahoo! executive Tim Sanders’ latest book, The Likeability Factor: How to Boost Your L-Factor and Achieve Your Life’s Dreams
- trash t
he outdated belief that likeability equates with backslapping; - understand that likeability is about authenticity; and
- benefit from the human trait that those who are the most likeable will, like the meek, inherit, if not the earth, then at least their fair share.
Sanders explores the four personality traits that he says contribute to a person’s likeability: friendliness, relevance (do you connect on interests or needs?), empathy, and “realness” (genuineness or authenticity). He says likeability isn’t an accident of birth but a skill that can be learned (exercises are included).
Michael Maslanka is the managing partner of Ford & Harrison LLP’s Dallas, Texas, office. He has 20 years of experience in litigation and trial
of employment law cases and has served as Adjunct Counsel to a Fortune 10 company where he provided multi-state counseling on employment matters. He has also served as a Field Attorney for the National Labor Relations Board.
Mike is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and was selected as a “Texas Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly and Law & Politics Magazine in 2003. He was also selected as one of the best lawyers in Dallas by “D” Magazine in 2003. Mike has served as the Chief Author and Editor of the Texas Employment Law Letter since 1990. He also authors the “Work Matters” column for Texas Lawyer.