If you're following the US presidential news, you may have heard about something called "the likability factor". It has relevance as to whether or not we vote for a given candidate. The somewhat arbitrary metric was famously parlayed into the presidency by Dwight D Eisenhower, with the slogan "I Like Ike". According to conventional wisdom, the vague descriptor is a critical factor in the electorates decisions on who they are going to vote for.
Whether or not this is indeed the case and likeability is really important for a candidate to win an election, common sense tells us that being liked is an important component of achievement and general success in life. According to Dale Carnegie, likeability is a function of showing interest in others. Practitioners of NLP claim it can be increased by matching body language. Emily Dickinson related being likable to giving sincere compliments.
While all these may be helpful tips, one of the most fascinating of likability strategies was promoted by Benjamin Franklin, who thought that, when other people do favors for us, we will actually become more likeable. The American polymath said, "He who has once done you a kindness will be more likely to do you another." Russian author Leo Tolstoy agreed, saying "We do not love people so much for the good they have done us, but for the good we do for them."
