20 Simple Social Skills That Will Make You Instantly More Likable

Say you’re sorry

Of course, taking accountability for your mistakes is instrumental in changing someone’s bad impression of you. But an “I’m sorry” when you’re not to blame for something can also be surprisingly helpful.

Saying “I’m sorry” when someone tells you about something bad that happened to them is an effective way to show that you’re putting yourself in their shoes and are trying to relate, otherwise known as showing empathy, according to Halvorson.

In fact, researchers at Harvard Business School and Wharton found that people were far more likely to lend someone their cell phone when subjects first said, “I’m so sorry about the rain!”

Expressing you understand someone’s experience and hope the best for them produces tangible increases in trust.