No matter what you’re doing in life, studying, working, or even just trying to improve your personal relationships, this post will help you sharpen your people skills.
Talking and listening
Both of these have equal weight here. You must talk confidently, but also be willing to stop and listen at appropriate times – this is just a mark of respect. You must give others the same respect you’d want yourself when sharing ideas or making suggestions.
Do not talk over people nor interrupt them.
Don’t drone on
Keep your responses short and simple. If you’re explaining a tricky concept, make your explanation so simple that even a layman would understand.
Here’s something to help you, whether you’re writing or speaking:
K – Keep
I – It
S– Short and
S– Simple
Only speak when you have something meaningful to contribute
Will your ideas/contributions be meaningful and hold value with others? Will others appreciate what you have to say?
Don’t talk just for the sake of talking. This is also a method of gaining respect.
Prepare and smile
If you’re supposed to be giving a big speech, ensure you give it plenty of time to prepare. This will show your audience that you care and you have taken time out to deliver a successful presentation.
And do remember to smile a lot, and look confident, even if you’re faking it. Fake it ‘till you make it!
If you enjoyed this read, you can find lots more inspirational posts on the TSoM blog.
