Smart Ways To Sharpen Your People Skills

As social beings, we rely on each other for support with our mental, physical, and financial well-being. We are innately hardwired to desire human contact and are constantly seeking it out via in person and virtual interactions. While most of us are equipped to adequately engage with others, there are a few certain people who are exceptionally talented at it. These are the people who seem to effortlessly relate well with those around them or dominate a setting with the vitality of their presence. They are the fortunate ones who have the people skills needed to achieve whatever they want in life.

Good people skills are most often a learned behavior that evolve over time and with the appropriate modeling.

To sharpen your people skills, work on becoming more…

Observant

To form stronger connections with others, closely observe their words, tone, and body language. By paying attention to verbal and nonverbal cues, you can gain valuable insights on how to effectively respond to their emotions and interests.

Approachable

People are more likely to open up and communicate when they feel comfortable. To be approachable, smile, make eye contact, and be open to conversation. Avoid crossing your arms, appearing disinterested, or giving off negative body language.

Confident

Confidence is key in navigating criticism and challenging conversations with composure and ease. Cultivate self-assurance and project a commanding presence to boost your confidence and empower yourself.

Enthusiastic

An enthusiastic attitude acts as a magnetic force that draws people towards you. In your relationships with others, radiate optimism and offer encouragement to inspire others to achieve success.

Understanding

To improve your interpersonal skills, it’s important to comprehend, acknowledge, and appreciate diverse perspectives. When engaging in conversations, approach them with an open mind and make a conscious effort to understand the varied viewpoints.

Caring

Cultivate genuine connections with others by actively listening, asking sincere questions, and offering support. By demonstrating your care, you can build and strengthen your relationships with others.

Attentive

To effectively engage with others, it is important to maintain focused attention without becoming distracted. To ensure a comprehensive grasp of the matters discussed, it is crucial to remain fully engaged in the conversation before formulating a response.

Trustworthy

Building an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust involves keeping commitments, being honest, and consistently being reliable. These qualities are the bedrock for cultivating rewarding relationships with the people around you.

Genuine

People can often detect when someone isn’t being authentic. To build strong connections, be true to yourself and your values. Authenticity will help others connect with you on a deeper level and build a stronger sense of trust.

Continue to strengthen your people skills by working through the following steps until they become a natural part of who you are.

(1)  Identify people around you who have exceptional people skills. Learn from them by observing their techniques as they interact with others in distinct situations.

(2)  Adopt the techniques that best fit your needs and role play them until they become a comfortable part of who you are. Despite a certain amount of “acting” during the initial stages, be genuine before revealing them to others. Most people can detect when someone is being insincere.

(3)  Individualize your interactions with others based upon their age, gender, culture, appearance, and nonverbal cues. Given these differences, be sensitive to their demeanor before addressing them. Gauge your initial and consequent approach to impact the likelihood of a positive outcome. The onus is on you to control the exchange.

(4)  Monitor your progress as an essential way to continuously improve. For each significant encounter, evaluate what went well and what did not. Determine what you might have done better and put it into practice for the next opportunity. Make it an ongoing learning experience.