Improve Your People Skills

So, what are people skills? They are how you relate to other individuals.

The quality of your people skills can be shaped by:

Your lifestyle

No matter what field you work in, this is one of the most important skills you can develop. The better you can get along with others, the easier your job will be.

This does not mean you should be a doormat or that you should avoid conflicts if they arise. Instead, it means that you should acquire the tools you need to handle conflicts, stand up for yourself and still come out on top.

How you choose to live your life and where you choose to live it will directly impact your people skills. If you choose to live alone in a remote cabin, you will not have the same quality of skills as someone who lives with a family in an urban area. Can you see how your people skills have been shaped by your lifestyle?

Your roles

We all play a variety of roles in our lives. Mine are wife, mother, employee and webmaster, just to name a few. The number of roles and how we play them determine a lot about our ability to relate to others. If you work in a field that puts you in the role of caring for others, your way of relating to others will differ from that of someone who works alone and doesn't have responsibility to care for anyone.

Your "survival skills"

Survival skills refer specifically to the working world. Your ability to handle the parts of your job that are not specifically part of the job description. In my case, that would include assisting with the physical expansion of the warehouse facility where I work. My title is office manager. Yet, I pick parts and fold shipping boxes. Yes, I still answer phones and file paperwork, but these other tasks need to be done, so I help where I'm needed. I have developed my "survival skills."

For the best people skills, you need:

Goals

The goals that you have can guide you in developing your people skills. Or, they can be directly related to them. For example, you might have a goal of learning to say no when asked to do something that would overcommit you.

Decisiveness

Can you make decisions and stick by them? Do you get stuck in "analysis paralysis"? The ability to make good decisions and quick ones is valuable in dealing with people. Decisiveness gives you the ability to handle situations effectively. If you have a track record of good decision-making, it will earn you respect.

Flexibility

Along with adaptability, flexibility helps you cope with change in life, and in the workplace. You must be able to "roll with the punches" when changes occur, whether they are gradual or abrupt. Flexibility also relates to your ability to see different points of view and understand others' ways of thinking or doing. In today's working world, you have to be flexible to survive.

Resilience

Can you keep moving forward even in adversity? Resilience is thatability. You can take your licks, but you don't stop making progress. When you are dealing with people, this may mean being able to weather a boss's bad mood or a co-worker's criticism. Do not discount criticism, but look at it and ask yourself if it is warranted. Still, keep moving forward. Don't let it stop you from doing your job and doing it well. And don't let it stop you from getting along with others.