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How the Pratfall Effect Makes You More Likeable at Work
Description
We all know competence matters at work — but what if a small mistake actually makes people like you more? In this episode of The Office Politics Podcast, Lucas and Luna unpack the Pratfall Effect, the counterintuitive psychological principle first studied by Elliot Aronson in 1966. They walk through the classic experiment where a near-perfect quiz contestant who spilled coffee was rated more likeable than one who didn't. Then they bring it to the modern office: how over-polished leaders risk seeming remote, why admitting a minor error can humanise you during a presentation, and the fine line between a charming stumble and a damaging blunder. They discuss real scenarios — forgetting a meeting time, mispronouncing a client's name, a typo in a slide — and when the Pratfall Effect backfires (hint: if you're already seen as incompetent, don't test this at work). Practical, research-backed, and genuinely useful for anyone navigating office dynamics.