10 Jun Ten Qualities of Genuine People

Excellent academic achievements always make a great impression, but is that all that matters in the workplace? It’s not enough to have accolades for every accomplishment that you’ve achieved, there needs to a person of substance, compassion, discipline, integrity and generosity behind those trophies.It’s an advantage, an elective, to be admired, to have the perks of prestige and a firm foundation of intelligence, but it is a necessity to have the core of who you are be genuine and of strong character. Here are 10 pointers to becoming the well rounded and genuine person everyone should strive to be.

1. Not everyone has to like you. No one likes being around people who are trying too hard to be liked. A genuine person knows what they stand for and that not everyone will like them for it, but that’s not what is important to them. When someone is not desperate for attention the attention they do receive is also genuine, and the people who like them ACTUALLY like them.

2. Don’t be quick to pass judgment. Feeling unfairly judged is something that almost everyone hates. Do not disregard someone’s point of view without giving them a fair chance to express themselves. A genuine person allows themselves to be open to the ideas of others, even when their gut reaction is to oppose them. Having a discussion with someone who is truly listening to your point of view is pleasing even if you end the conversation with different conclusions. Actually listening to others results in access to new ideas and ways of thinking that you may not have previously imagined. Not being judgmental doesn’t mean agreeing with everything someone says, but it does involve being respectful.

3. Take charge of your life’s direction. Find your passions and follow them! Genuine people don’t derive their sense of pleasure and satisfaction from the opinions of others. This frees them up to follow their own internal compasses. They know who they are and they don’t pretend to be anything else. Their direction comes from within, from their own principles and values.

4. Be generous. When you have knowledge that can help someone out, give it! A genuine person does not hold on to contacts, knowledge or resources in an effort to make themselves appear greater than those around them. A genuine person is a team player and knows that the success of those around them does not diminish their own brilliance. The confidence in their own success makes these people great to be around. In fact, their confidence in their success makes those around them look up to them.

5. Treat everyone with respect. One of the quickest ways to lose many people’s respect is to be disrespectful to others. It’s not enough to be respectful to those whose favors you are seeking, but be respectful to those who are not in a position to assist you at all. A genuine person treats everyone with respect regardless of their job, age, or background because they understand that they’re no better than anyone else.

6. Be trustworthy. Being genuine goes hand in hand with being trustworthy. A genuine person will say what they mean, but this doesn’t mean being mean. Remember to be respectful while giving your opinions. People are much more likely to tell people how they feel (and you want to know how those around you feel) if they believe that this person will not violate their trust.

7. Be thick-skinned. We will all experience a day when someone’s stickly criticism cuts a little deeper than expected. A genuine person knows who they are and that they cannot be offended by something that was not intended as a personal attack. There will be times when you’re hurt by comments, but your reaction should be dictated by whether these comments are true or false. If the criticism is unfair or unfounded then you may correct the person or simply ignore it. However, if the criticism is honest and fair then introspection is needed, but without lasting hard feelings towards the person giving the criticism.

8. Don’t be ego driven. You can’t do it all alone, so don’t seek to have your name recognized for accomplishments that were achieved as a team. Focusing on recognition over doing what needs to be done can lead to your colleagues feeling dissatisfied and unappreciated. Do what needs to be done without allowing your ego to take center stage.

9. Don’t be a hypocrite. The first step to ensuring that you are not hypocritical is to be aware of your own weaknesses. It takes a tremendous amount of self awareness to identify your own weaknesses and many hypocrites are not aware of their own flaws. Hypocrites will criticize the actions of others while continuing those behaviours themselves because they have not spent adequate introspection time. A genuine person practices what they preach because they know where their faults lie. Even if they criticize the weakness in others they are very open about the process that they are undertaking to fix them in themselves. They share the journey that they are on to fix them. They share tips. They are helpful.

10. Don’t brag. When you are confident in your knowledge and abilities you are able to share with other without “bragging”. A genuine person does not need to share all of their accomplishments at every turn when it is not relevant to the task at hand. When a genuine person accomplishes something they know that their accomplishment will stand on its own and speak for itself. Those who need to know will notice.

Genuine people are self aware and also in tune with the emotions of others. They seek to make those around them comfortable by being accepting and nonjudgmental, but they are not desperate for attention. A genuine person is not worried about what others are accomplishing because they know the direction that their lives are taking and they are determined to succeed in their own way.