By Denise Martin
I still remember Sally Field, while she held her "Coal Miner's Daughter" Best Actress Oscar aloft, gushing to the audience "You LIKE me!! You really LIKE me!!" Why is it so important for us to be liked? And make no mistake—it is important to be liked—very important in business. We are hardwired as social creatures to want to be liked.
After all, the very continuation of the species depends on us being social with each other. We consider the loner, the misfit, and the socially inept as pariahs and avoid them where possible. We simply prefer to say 'yes' to people that we like. For proof positive, look at the success of Tupperware parties, office charity requests for their kids' activities, attendance at benefit auctions, etc.
