“People skills are, in short, the various attributes and competencies that allow one to play well with others,” explains says David Parnell, a legal consultant, communication coach and author. “While on the surface these may be summed up by notions such as ‘likeability,’ or having a ‘good personality,’ when you start to look at what makes one ‘likable,’ for instance, you’ve opened Pandora ‘s Box.” But more often than not, these attributes come in the form of effective, accurate and persuasive communication, he says.
Teri Hockett, chief executive of What’s For Work?, a career site for women, agrees. She says: “People skills come down to how people interact with each other, from a verbal and/or non-verbal perspective; they are non-technical in nature. When we think of people skills, words such as personality, empathy, and tonality come to mind.”
Having good people skills means maximizing effective and productive human interaction to everyone’s benefit, says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant; How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job. “People want to connect on a humane level in the office; the alternative is a sterile environment with low productivity. So, the more you demonstrate these abilities, the faster your career will advance. It’s the ‘office diplomats’ with strong emotional intelligence who are most likely to be strong, effective corporate leaders. They realize that trusting relationships built on diplomacy and respect are at the heart of both individual success and corporate productivity. An ounce of people sensitivity is worth a pound of cure when it comes to daily human interaction and mitigating conflict. By developing these skills, you’ll reduce bad behavior in the office, and your positive approach will be contagious.”
Wise managers know that they need a team with strong people skills, she adds. “Given the choice between a savvy job candidate or, similarly, an employee seeking promotion – the one with excellent people skills and less technical ability will usually win the prize versus the converse.” Having good people radar is harder to teach than technical skills, but is a requisite for long term, effective leadership, she says.
Here are 20 “people skills” and attributes you’ll need to succeed at work:
The ability to relate to others.
“Having the ability to relate to others and their position or viewpoint
is crucial in business,” Hockett says. “By having a well-rounded
personality and set of experiences, it’s usually possible to relate to
almost anyone.” Sometimes being able to relate to others simply means
that you’re willing to agree to disagree with mutual respect; letting
them know you understand their position.
Strong communication skills. This
is the most fundamental people skill because it encompasses your persona
and ability to get along with other colleagues, persuade others to
listen to your ideas, and much more, Taylor says. “If you have a gift
for the spoken and written word, you will always put your best foot
forward. Being articulate is highly prized in today’s workplace, when
time is at a premium and technology requires constant communication.”
Parnell says articulation is a very
important “people skill.” “Illusory transparency refers to the notion
that as we speak to others, we believe that they are of the same mindset
as us, and are processing things exactly as we would. Even if this were
possible – which it’s not – it would be incredibly challenging because
of semantic ambiguity,” he explains. “Universal quantifiers for instance
– all, any, every, etc. – are systematic violations of accurate
communication in that they are rarely true in a literal sense, and leave
significant room for translation. Effective communicators are very
careful to understand these systematic violations, and avoid them or
accommodate them when necessary.”
Patience with others. “If you’re
patient with others and can keep a level head in stressful situations,
it will definitely be noticed by management and perceived as a very
strong asset,” says Amy Hoover, president of Talent Zoo.
“When your boss is forced to deal with a situation where people have
lost their cool he or she will certainly remember the troublemakers when
the next promotion comes available.”
The ability to trust others.
You can only accelerate your career if you’re trustworthy. “Without it,
you can’t get projects done or get cooperation,” Taylor says. “No one
can operate in a vacuum for long.”
Knowing how and when to show empathy. “Having the ability to place yourself in someone else’s shoes is a key people skill,” says Ryan Kahn, a career coach, founder of The Hired Group, star of MTV’s Hired! and author of Hired! The Guide for the Recent Grad. It allows us to create relationships with others, provides insights into people’s motives and allows us to predict responses.
“Offer support, sympathy and feedback in
your daily business life,” Taylor suggests. “It will bring you positive
emotional returns – part of ‘corporate karma.’” If you contribute to a
dehumanized company, both you and your employer will have limited growth
potential, she says.
Hockett reminds us that things are not
always black and white, and in order to have effective relationships
with others we need to show compassion where appropriate. “In a perfect
world there would be no hiccups, but life happens and knowing when to
show compassion when others face challenges is important.”
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