Since most of us work in environments were our relationship with others is what is called dotted line we don’t really have power over others.  Rather, we need to develop positive relationships with those from whom we need cooperation.

I’ve seen situations where a project manager who was disliked found over and over again that his need was put on the bottom of the to-do list of the lab.  Others would get their needs met immediately.

What was the difference?  Clearly it was not the corporation’s priority.  It was favoritism.

The more you are liked – the more you treat others well – the better your chances of getting the best service from your teammates and other employees.

One place where remaining 'liked' can crash into reality is when you need to negotiate with co-workers. This could be on simple items like who is going to do what on a project, or complex things like budget priorities and who will get what resources. These 'negotiations' may not be seen as such, but they are, and they will definitely affect your relations and, by extension, how effective you are at the company.

So, learn how to negotiate effectively. To do this, check out this course on workplace negotiation and persuasion.

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ArLyne Diamond, President, Diamond Associates. An internationally recognized author and consultant who teaches MBA university courses in Business, Organizational Development, Quality, Change Management, Persuasion/ Negotiation, Marketing and Leadership