Maintain Good Relationships And Friendships

If you maintain good manners, it is easy to maintain good relationships and friendships at work. It does not mean to open door for people or carry their suitcases. Good manners is being polite, warm, human, compassionate, helpful, welcoming - all the things you'd be for your customers.

This becomes tricky when it comes to somebody you don't like, have clashed with the past or who has been rude or unpleasant to you. But that is when it is important to use this skill. Even the rudest and most unpleasant person will find it very hard to keep being rude if you are pleasant, smiling and open with them especially if you can bear to throw in a little flattery about their expertise on a subject - if it is justified, of course.

Try to see your colleagues as if they were equally warm as yourself. If you always approach everyone with cheerful optimism you will find that they simply have no choice but to respond in kind. Offer help when you can. Speak to everyone as if they are equal to you - as indeed they are. Look for the positive points in people - find something to like or respect about them and focus on that. Take as much time with the most modest of employees as you would with the highest. Treat everyone the same with respect and decency.