How to Master People Skills in 5 Easy Steps

People skills can be defined as an important soft skill that is required to interact and live with society in a harmonious way. People come in many different shapes and sizes and to make matters more interesting, they come in lots of different personalities as well. It can get quite overwhelming for someone who has been in a cocoon all this while or having minimal interaction to come out and be a people skills expert.

However, people skills can be mastered with some practice and observation. Start to notice how people you know interact with and treat you for a start. Also, follow the simple, yet powerful people skills mentioned here to improvise your people skills.

Share personal experiences

Sharing personal experiences builds trust with individuals. When you share your daily lives or interesting bits from your personal life, it will pave the way for others to open up to you as well. When there is mutual sharing, it helps to build long lasting relationships. So, when you are talking to someone, pitch in and share something that is relevant and has happened in your life to make the conversation more personal as well as lively.

Be able to laugh at yourself and with others. Not at others

If you are a person who cannot take a joke about yourself, you need to work on that. Not being able to take humor in its stride makes you a boring and serious person to hang out with. People avoid such personalities. Also, if you are constantly joking about others and take a serious note when the same happens to you, you will be labelled as a hypocrite instead. Take a chill pill. There is nothing wrong in laughing at yourself. Being able to joke about yourself is a virtue that builds relationships.

There are always instances where we have our own share of “boo-boos.” It could have been quite an embarrassing moment for you. Similarly, all of us have our own share of such moments. These moments turn into hilarious moments later on when we share those moments of embarrassments with people and they share with us. How would you like it if you become a laughing stock instead? You wouldn’t like it. Neither would anyone else. As much as these moments have a chance of strengthening relationships, it could cause the relationship to strain as well. Hence, never laugh at the person. Always laugh with them instead.

Always talk positively and choose your words carefully

No, don’t, won’t, cannot are all best avoided in conversations. What is the point is holding a conversation filled with negative connotations! It drains the energy away from the conversation as well as the people you are talking to. Moreover, you will come across as a person who is always negative and people will start avoiding you for that matter alone. Hence, practice positive speaking. The same sentences can be spoken in a positive note. Instead of saying, “it’s impossible” say “I is possible and I will figure out a way.”

Do not run the people down

It can be unintentional in disagreements that you run the other person down completely. It happens when you have your own set of agenda and you want others to nod in acceptance instead of opening up a discussion to get more ideas. Sentences like, “that’s the dumbest idea I’ve heard so far!” are probably not the best way to state what you may be thinking. Instead try to state it better by perhaps saying “your ideas is good, but is not exactly what we are looking for right now.” Negative vibes are created and people form a wall against you if you constantly engage in such communication.

Do not bad mouth or manipulate anyone

This goes without saying. If you want your relationships to last, you need to make sure you are a person who is reliable and trustworthy. If you go around bad mouthing someone, it only implies to the person you are bad mouthing to that you will be doing the same regarding them to another person. This builds distrust and you may never know, could end you relationship as well.

Treat others as you want others to treat you. This is the magical formula for effective people skill. This magic formula entails respect for yourself and others. Respect is an essential ingredient in a successful and long lasting relationship. If you give respect, naturally others will respect you. All the ways mentioned above to improve your people skill entails this one magic formula. Hence make a conscious effort to start respecting others.