9 reasons people love to work with you

We all have those colleagues whom everyone loves. What is it about them? It’s not as inexplicable as you may think. Here’s what they do—and why you should follow suit.

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1. You make us feel even smarter than we are.

You know the type. An employee, a colleague, a vendor…someone has an idea. It’s a good idea. It’s a great idea. Now it’s his idea.

Do it once and people narrow their eyes. Do it twice and resentment simmers. Do it three times and that’s the last time anyone shares ideas with you.

The people we love to work with have a knack for doing the opposite: They make their ideas feel like our ideas. When that happens we all work harder. We work with a greater sense of purpose. We feel like we’re part of something bigger.

And we’re all more likely to succeed.

2. You never find something to take personally.

A French dilettante once said, “I am such an egotist that if I were to write about a chair, I’d find some way to write about myself.”

The people we hate to work with see themselves as the center of the universe, at the center of every story they tell—and the victim of every unfortunate event.

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