Job Networking & Office Social Skills

Managing Your Work & Personal Relationships

Possessing essential people skills is the key to successfully managing the various relationships in life. From business matters to personal endeavors, knowing how to listen, speak and approach people as individuals will help facilitate a positive result.

People skills are needed in personal life as well as in big and small business. The ability to identify and understand different personality types, as well as being able to communicate effectively is only one of the essential people skills used by many in marriage, parenting, teaching, politics, marketing, diversity training and many other venues.

Developing Workplace Relationships

As the world becomes smaller and business and commerce become more personalized, essential people skills training has grown in popularity. Seminars and workshops covering how to deal with diverse work staffs are increasing in popularity.

According to Daniel Robin of Daniel Robin & Associates, there are several essential skills needed to bring out the best in other people. Robin stresses being mentally present when meeting with a person, and establish rapport by lending yourself to their agenda. Other essential skills involve helping the person to clarify their goals, refraining from offering unsolicited advice, clarifying agreements on coaching methods, and offering sincere praise and encouragement.

Finally, offering positive encouragement when someone falls short of a goal is a constructive way of allowing them to learn from their mistakes.

Managing Projects and People

The role of project manager requires the ability not only to oversee an entire endeavor, but also to communicate 1 on 1 with each team participant. Andrew Boyarsky, of American Management Association, believes that the 2 most essential people skills required for project managers are listening and speaking clearly and concisely. Boyarsky adds that project managers should be empathetic, able to easily handle conflict, and have the ability to lead others effectively.

It is believed by some that the most essential people skill is an open door policy, where those who need advice or direction can ask for it at anytime. According to psychologist Steven Flannes, PhD. of Flannes & Associates, project managers must make a concerted effort to remain in touch with their team members in what he calls 'structured conversations", and then follow up with future meetings since change often occurs.

Flannes insists that other essential skill is the ability to wear different hats when necessary, such as that of manager, mentor, leader, and facilitator. Flannes, who has written a book on the subject, is convinced that project managers can learn the essential people skills required to be effective business professionals.

Essential People Skills Benefits

The benefit of establishing and using essential people skills in dealing with other human beings is that essential skills help in finding common ground between people, and aid in the communication and sharing of clear and effective ideas.