How to be likeable as a leader

"Some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go" - Oscar Wilde

People respond not only to the message but the messenger. Being likeable attracts, being unlikeable repels. Dont fake it, find your version of it.

1. Develop the right mindset of valuing the person and having the right mindset of exercising positive influence. Smile more than you frown, encourage more than you criticize. Before every meeting, say to yourself, I am happy to be here and I am happy to see you and then act that way. 
2. Seek and highlight similarities. Similarities in background, experiences and values tend to have the strongest effect. Similarities tend to be more impactful, the more rare the commonality. When you do find similarities, look for authentic ways of using inclusive terms like we, us, our. That subtly and positively reinforces your connection. 
3. Look for positive qualities and highlight them in a genuine way. You can highlight it by framing it as a question. If you admire their perseverence, that sounds like a significant ordeal you got through, how did you manage it ? 
4. Give credit to relevant qualities necessary to advance your priorities. If you expect someone to be dismissive of their priorities, you can say something like this : I have heard you are an open minded person who weights all the facts. That will spark their association to be open minded and you bring that quality to the front of their mind and trigger their tendency to act more consistently with that quality.