What are social skills?
Social skills, also known as interpersonal or soft skills, are used to communicate with others. Any time you interact with another person, you are using social skills in some way. Strong social skills can help you build and maintain successful relationships both professionally and personally. Listed below are the four major areas of social skills;
Communication
Good communication involves:
- listening first
- how you express yourself
- the ability to persuade others
- your presentation style (body language)
- being able to calmly explaining what you need
Flexibility
Being flexible means that you:
- are willing to try new things
- possess the ability to deal with unexpected challenges
- can change your plans and adapt to new situations easily
- accept that change is inevitable
- challenge yourself
- overcome limitations where possible
Team Player
Being a good team player includes:
- knowing the goal and knowing your role
- understanding that each person will work differently
- having a strong work ethic
- the ability to persevere
- the ability to focus
- being able to meet deadlines
- doing the job right
Positive Attitude
You are always in control of your attitude. Some ways you can keep a positive attitude is to:
- give yourself a break if things don’t go well
- surround yourself with positive people
- smile and laugh more
- not compare yourself to others
Building and improving your social skills is important. Your ability to interact and work with others will have a major impact on your life. Finally, remember that strong social skills can help you build and maintain successful relationships both in the workplace and in your personal life.