Do you want to transform your career? Have you noticed people step onto the scene and build their professional brand seamlessly while you’re busting your butt and feel overlooked for opportunities? 

I know what that feels like. There was a time in my career when it felt like I wasn’t being seen or valued for what I could offer. 

I started paying close attention to my relationships at work. Yes, I was different. My background, skillset, and life experience was different from those around me. Did that mean I was set up to fail? Was it was pointless to even try? People are inevitably going to choose to work with people similar to them. Having a Psychology background, I was all too familiar with the “similar-to-me-bias.”

But, after being coached and doing some soul-searching, I realized that my differences made me even more qualified to provide a unique perspective, and that what I needed to do was to stop focusing on what was getting in the way, and start focusing on how I could build trust, despite the obstacles.

Within a year, I was able to completely transform my work relationships. I was able to gain buy-in from key stakeholders and partner better with my clients. I attribute this transformation to the following four key elements:  

4 Key Elements for Building Likability and Trust at Work 

Credibility

Be clear on what your strengths are and the specific work you want to be hired for. Ask yourself, “What are my unique strengths and qualifications?” Based on this, can people trust what I say I can do?” If not, you may need to focus on upgrading your credentials. Even if you’re multi-passionate, like me, you always need a strong foundation to lean on. Sometimes we are clear in our own mind why we are qualified for the opportunities we want, but it might not be clear to others. Highlight it on your resumé, social media profiles, and make sure to bring it up in conversation with people who have influence over your career. If your experience makes up for where you lack credentials, make sure to quantify this whenever you can. For example: “During my time as marketing lead, I was able to increase the company’s client base by 14,000.” Remember, it’s not bragging if it’s directly related to the work and you are also communicating the type of work you are interested in.

Authenticity

Be true to your values and identity. Ask yourself, “Do I create close work relationships easily? Am I showing up to work feeling like I can be true to my core values and identity? What part of myself might I be I filtering and why?” If you are passionate about areas that align to your work, you need to express it. Also, don’t try to emulate others if their style doesn’t resonate for you. This one is especially difficult if you feel like a minority in your workplace. You may feel like an imposter, or like you have to try harder to fit in. But trust me, being authentic is always the best route. How do you do this? Build relationships by asking questions; be open to listening while showing empathy. Then also reciprocate by being vulnerable without expecting anything in return. This takes time and baby steps if it’s deeper work you need to do. If you feel like vulnerability is especially uncomfortable, read Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead — it’s a game changer. People can tell when you’re wearing a shield to shelter your vulnerability and it makes them less likely to trust you. For example, many moms don’t bring up their kids or parenting struggles at work for fear of being seen as too soft or unfocused. But if you are sharing this in a positive and authentic way, you can also leverage this- especially when it’s related to the work and perspective you bring. Authenticity is the gateway to building confidence, and that goes a long way in people trusting your skills and abilities.

Consistency

Ask yourself, “Do I show up when I say I will? Do I produce the work I said I would? Do I follow up when appropriate?” Simply being consistent in who you’re being, the values you uphold, and how and when you show up, makes you reliable. For some hiring managers and organizations, this is far more important that your qualifications or experience. For you, this might mean setting more boundaries so you aren’t over-promising and under-delivering. It’s ok to say “no”, or “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” Being honest about your strengths and consistently practicing them builds your personal brand beyond your resumé.

Client / Company Focus

This is the most important element of all, and the one most people get wrong. If your clients or boss are not happy, you aren’t going to get them to open more doors for you. 

Have you heard the phrase “get the monkey off my back.” In most workplaces everyone has a pile of work that they want to offload or get done so they can move on to the next thing. People who build trust easily are grounded in a sense of purpose, or service bigger than themselves. Focusing on your client or manager’s issues, how they’re feeling and what they need from you first. It may seem counterintuitive, but this also will help you get the “monkey” off your back. When you understand others’ issues and start where they are, rather than coming in with your agenda, this builds trust and equips you with how to “sell” your ideas, or gain their support for your projects, initiatives and future job opportunities. Always ask, “what do you need from me?”before you come in with “this is what I need from you.” Never make assumptions about what they need, repeat it back to ensure you have a mutual understanding of what is most important to them and the company. Communicate clearly that you are there for what they need (within your own reasonable boundaries). And don’t confuse this with being a pushover. You can display empathy, while openly communicating your desire to do the work that will make the biggest impact for them, even if it means asserting boundaries on what your focus will be, and turning down “non- promotable” work. Without boundaries, you’re at risk of burnout, at which point your quality of work will also suffer. 

Closing Thoughts

After reading this, what area do you think you need to focus on the most to authentically stand out? How will you take action to start influencing others to advance professionally? If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to continue the dialogue in the comments, or reach out to me on Instagram. 

Instead of playing the losing battle of trying to balance work & life, this will allow you to look at all the important aspects of your life holistically. It’s a quick 3-step exercise that will give you instant clarity of the top 3 areas you need to focus on to gain more fulfillment and impact.