A few weeks ago, I attended a weekend conference for a charitable organization where I\'m a volunteer. Most of the agenda comprised of working sessions and the participants were requested to sit at round tables, six per group. As I looked around the room prior to the sessions starting, I noticed that many people at the tables just sat there, waiting, with little or no interaction between one...
Nobody likes to think they\'re boring, yet it\'s easy to get wrapped up talking about things that you find interesting but that other people don\'t find as exciting. When speaking, discretely check in with the other person or the group to make sure they\'re not bored and want to get away as soon as it\'s politely possible. Being aware of how others are responding by their interaction and body...
The thing with social skills is that just having a couple won't make you succeed socially. It's a collection of skills, ranging from being able to introduce yourself and knowing what to say after "hello," to non-verbal communication to giving feedback and a whole bunch of other skills in between. We find ourselves in many different situations everyday where we need a combination and variety of...
There are many people who want better relationships, more friends, and meaningful interactions with others. Often, they recognize that part of their problem is that their own communication and social skills aren't very good.
It's true that if you lack various social skills then you're most likely part of your problem. But let's look at this deficit from a different perspective: is it really...
One common suggestion that is recommended for improving social skills is to practice. Practice meeting other people, going to social events, joining clubs, taking classes or practice being with different people in various situations.
But practice what?
Practice being in a crowded room and standing by yourself in the corner?
Practice feeling awkward?
Practice being nervous around...
Poor listening is an art. Fortunately, it's a talent that's easy to master. It takes little effort and if you're really good at it, you'll be able to quickly tune out the speaker or, better yet, get him to stop talking so that you can start. It's a great way to make your relationships all about you. Here are five key ways to be an exemplary bad listener.
1. Look away.
Avoid eye contact with...
We often confuse feedback with criticism - probably because much of our experience with it has had more to do with what we've done wrong than what we've done right or how we could do better.
This is unfortunate. Feedback should not be viewed as a personal assault or a list of errors, mistakes, or mishaps. It should be seen as an essential part of our (and others') ongoing professional and...
Just the thought of small talk congers up painful memories of stilted conversations that revolved around the weather and umpteen other dreadfully boring topics. While small talk is engaging in non-personal conversation that is casual, light and "safe" - meaning that the topics are of general interest and are not offensive - it doesn't have to set off rounds of yawn-tag and constant clock...
Many people misunderstand what social skills are - and what they're not. Here's a quick look at a few common myths and some information on what social skills really are.
Myth #1:
People who like talking are interesting and have good social skills.
False.
Verbosity isn't a social skill. In fact, it can damage one's social popularity and result in avoidance by others. Such...
There are many different social skills and the impact they have on other people varies. Acting on two or three "easy" skills isn't enough. The best results are achieved when several skills are used in combination with one another. The expression "the total is greater than the sum of its parts" resonates loudly with respect to social skills. When individuals combine various skills such as...
