DOCSLIB.ORG

Soft Skills - the Importance of Cultivating Emotional Intelligence, 20 AALL Spectrum 28 (2016)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Soft Skills - the Importance of Cultivating Emotional Intelligence, 20 AALL Spectrum 28 (2016) Boston University School of Law Scholarly Commons at Boston University School of Law Faculty Scholarship 1-2016 Soft kS ills - The mpI ortance of Cultivating Emotional Intelligence Ronald Wheeler Boston Univeristy School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Law and Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Ronald Wheeler, Soft Skills - The Importance of Cultivating Emotional Intelligence, 20 AALL Spectrum 28 (2016). Available at: https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/130 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarly Commons at Boston University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons at Boston University School of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SOFT SKILLS THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Boston University School of Law Public Law & Legal Theory Paper No. 16-06 AALL Spectrum, January/February 2016 January 20, 2016 Ronald E. Wheeler Boston University School of Law This paper can be downloaded without charge at: http://www.bu.edu/law/faculty-scholarship/working-paper-series/ Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2719155 SOFT SKILLS THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE have always really enjoyed human interaction. All of my life, I have Can “people skills” known that my greatest joys and my most crushing disappointments be taught? How came from my personal and professional human relationships. This reality is one that I have always embraced. For me, it means that I emotional intelligence am one of those “people who need people” that Barbra Streisand can help pave your sings about. These characteristics feel innate to me. I think of myself Ias a super-extrovert, and the fact that I grew up in a household full of super-introverts seems to underscore the immutability of extroversion. I way to success. feel lucky to have somehow inherited these innate people skills. However, BY RONALD E. WHEELER the more I study and break down what we think of as “people skills” or “soft skills” into discrete parts, I discover that, although perhaps partly innate, these soft skills can be developed and improved with work, reflec- tion, and practice. 28 AALL SPECTRUM | WWW.AALLNET.ORG Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2719155 I read somewhere that organizations hire people for their hard skills, but I firmly believe the more we are in touch with our emotions ... they end up firing people for their lack of soft skills. As a law library person- the more we sense these emotions in others … and the more we nel manager, this statement resonates can appropriately express our emotions … the better we are with me. So, what are these hard and as employees. soft skills? Hard skills are technical abilities, factual knowledge, special- ized talents, and education. These are the things people learn in school or in we are as employees. Psychologist better equipped to correctly interpret technical job training. They are also Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional (and avoid misinterpreting) your sur- aptitudes developed through work Intelligence, breaks down emotional roundings and your coworkers. It helps experience, study, or practice. Legal intelligence skills into five basic parts: you avoid the petty misunderstandings research skill is a good example of a self-awareness, self-management, based on misperceptions that plague hard skill. Soft skills are the skills that self-motivation, empathy, and social many workplaces. Self-awareness allows allow you to use your technical abilities skills. Assessing yourself in each of you to form appropriate and helpful and knowledge effectively in the work- these areas requires honesty and verbal and non-verbal responses to place. They include personal, social, forgiveness as the journey is both hum- people or situations. communication, and self-management bling and enlightening. Below I share Acquiring a level of self-awareness behaviors. Attempts to define soft skills some frank self-assessments that led about my own insecurities and biases are all over the web, and they can vary me to my breakthrough moments. has helped me to become a better widely. However, most would agree employee, a better manager, and a better that soft skills include self-awareness, Self-Awareness person. Embarrassingly, because of my conscientiousness, adaptability, critical Self-awareness is one of the most own personal history, I have discovered thinking, attitude, initiative, empathy, important and fundamental compo- that I often have a visceral negative self-control, organizational awareness, nents of emotional intelligence. Being reaction to large, tall, white men. This leadership, time management, political self-aware means knowing what you are negative reaction is even more intense if savvy, likability, and persuasive ability. feeling and why, it means knowing what these men are older and somewhat bois- To sum it all up, a person who has a you are good at and what you are not terous. This reaction can cause me to mastery of soft skills can be defined as good at, it means knowing what others form negative opinions, act less friendly, being emotionally intelligent. think about you, and it means really not engage in conversation, and ulti- The best definition of emotional knowing who you are. Self-awareness mately impede productive relationships. intelligence that I have found is from is essential because when you know As I began thinking more about these Jack G. Montgomery of Western yourself and your feelings, you are interactions, I developed the capacity Kentucky University. He says that to recognize when I am having these emotional intelligence is the ability to negative feelings and to examine them sense, understand, and effectively apply in real time. the power and acumen of emotions as I recall vividly the first time I AALL2go EXTRA Watch Jack a source of human energy, informa- G. Montgomery’s “Soft Skills: paused during an interaction with a tion, and influence. Professional Indicators of Success” tall, white man to examine my negative I love this definition because it webinar at bit.ly/AALL2go0115. feelings. I recall thinking to myself: acknowledges the very important, (1) this guy is being perfectly nice READ Dr. Marcia Reynolds’s blog appropriate, and positive role that post “10 Signs You Are Not Using and friendly to me, (2) these negative emotions can play. All of my life I have Your Emotional Intelligence” at feelings have no rational basis, (3) this been called emotional, hypersensitive, bit.ly/10SignsNoEQ and don’t miss must be my own unconscious bias at or tenderhearted in ways that implied her article “Grow Where You Are” work, and (4) I will not be ruled by weakness or negativity. I firmly believe on page 32. bias. I was able to take charge of my the more we are in touch with our LEARN MORE Read Huron Consulting’s actions and not let them be dictated emotions, the more we understand white paper, “Emotional Intelligence: by negative feelings that have no their origins, the more we sense these What Can Learned Lawyers basis in my conscious reality. I was Learn from the Less Learned?” at emotions in others, and the more we bit.ly/JF16HuronEQ. able to interact in more friendly and can appropriately express our emotions appropriate ways with a whole set of Images © iStock.com./Leolintang/RawPixel Ltd./Angel1978. © iStock.com./Leolintang/RawPixel Images (even in the workplace), the better perfectly wonderful people with whom JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 | AALL SPECTRUM 29 Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2719155 interactions had initially been diffi- cult. Moreover, I was able to make my professional circle more expansive, rich and diverse. In this way, being self- aware has helped me to understand my own internal and external likes, dislikes, insecurities, hypersensitivities, and vulnerabilities. It has also helped me to recognize that almost every- one has these kinds of vulnerabilities to overcome and that they can be conquered. So how does one become more self-aware? One strategy is to use “I would disagree. Some managers feel means of self-management, I began think” statements in your own internal that emotions should not be expressed an internal conversation with myself, dialogue. This will allow you to notice at all in the workplace, and I strongly which sounded something like this: patterns or scripts that recur. These disagree with this assertion. “OK, I am getting really angry and patterns will help you to understand I know that I struggle with anger. upset, and these emotions are scaring your own emotions and how they can I struggle with how to feel it, how to me. I need to calm down! I need to be situationally triggered. It also allows process it, and how to express it. I communicate to her that the things you to ask yourself, “Is this really what I never really know when, how, and to she is saying are upsetting and are think?” So, for me, in my big, white guy whom I should let it out. I often don’t unproductive. I need to be calm but example, I began having the following even recognize the feeling of anger emotionally honest.” This internal con- internal conversation with myself: until very late in a situation when I say versation allowed me to acknowledge to myself, “Oh, wait? This is anger I’m my emotions, give myself instructions ¡¡I think he has no respect for me. feeling. I get it!” on my behavior, and plan my response. ¡¡I think he assumes I’m stupid. Having grown up in a household So, I said to her, “The things you’ve with three super-introverts, there was just said are quite upsetting to me.” My ¡¡I think he wishes he didn’t have to never any arguing, yelling, or demon- voice shook as I spoke those words, interact with me.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 10 Soft Skills You Need
    10 Soft Skills You Need Participant Guide Columbus Technical College Economic Development Corporate Training Materials TABLE OF CONTENTS Module One: Getting Started .............................................................................................................7 Workshop Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 7 Module Two: What are Soft Skills? .....................................................................................................8 Definition of Soft Skills .............................................................................................................................. 8 Empathy and the Emotional Intelligence Quotient .................................................................................. 9 Professionalism ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Learned vs. Inborn Traits ........................................................................................................................ 10 Case Study ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Module Two: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 11 Module Three: Communication .......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Power of EI: the "Soft" Skills the Sharpest Leaders
    The power of EI: The “soft” skills the sharpest leaders use Comparisons across data from Korn Ferry Hay Group leadership and employee surveys | The “soft” skills the sharpest leaders use | What’s emotional intelligence got to do with leadership? Organizations worldwide are increasingly recognizing the so-called “soft” skills that people in the workforce can Key points draw upon to motivate others, push through changes, n Twelve emotional and social and deliver superior performance in themselves and their intelligence competencies have been colleagues. We collectively call these skills emotional shown to distinguish outstanding intelligence, or EI. Importantly, a growing body of performance in a wide variety of jobs evidence shows the positive impact that leaders with and organizations. high EI can have in the workplace. n Developing more ESCI competencies This paper demonstrates how EI, like IQ, is measurable, gives leaders more flexibility, and and highlights which particular aspects of EI individuals honing specific competencies can can develop to make them more effective leaders. It optimize a leader’s individual style. draws from both outside sources and data gathered using the proprietary measurement of EI, called the n Outside studies confirm that people Emotional and Social Competency Inventory, or ESCI with high degrees of emotional (Boyatzis, 2007). Created by Richard Boyatzis and Daniel intelligence can positively impact Goleman in conjunction with Korn Ferry Hay Group, ESCI an organization’s profitability, is a 360-degree survey that assesses an individual’s EI performance, and ability to attract competencies. Now in its tenth year, the ESCI has been and retain talent. used by 80,000 people across 2,200 organizations worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • From Attitude to Empathy, We Explore the Power of Soft Skills in an Automated World
    The Soft Skills Imperative 01|2017From attitude to empathy, we explore the power of soft skills in an automated world. The Soft Skill Imperative | White Paper 2 The Adecco Group 3 Soft SK Skills As tasks are automated and job roles and responsibilities Unlocking entrepreneurial evolve, human qualities are the new essential for the work- potential—and perhaps even GDP force and the workplace growth The world is navigating a transition from the What’s driving this rush of enthusiasm? There’s yet knowledge economy to the self-knowledge econ- to be a study conducted that demonstrates in hard Consider the experiences of two groups who, development programs for longer, feel more omy. In every area of operations, automation numbers that soft skills play a direct, causal role in at first glance, could not appear to be less successful, and keep pursuing the small busi- and robotics are remaking the way we manage driving success for either candidates or corpora- similar: participants in a women’s entrepre- ness path.” traditional day-to-day tasks. Virtual collaboration tions. But individual organizations have become neurship training program in Guatemala and platforms are altering how and where we work. attuned to the impact of soft skills deficiencies Major League Baseball’s 2016 World Series Digital access to data is driving unprecedented within their ranks, and pioneering studies suggest champions, the Chicago Cubs. The success of “Women who get soft skills training wind up capacity—and demand—for real-time decision-mak- that training in these areas can contribute to con- each has been attributed in part to soft skills staying in the entrepreneurship or business awareness and development.
    [Show full text]
  • Soft Skills As Employability Skills: Fundamental Requirement for Entry-Level Jobs
    Soft Skills as Employability Skills: Fundamental Requirement for Entry-level Jobs ~ Netra Bahadur Subedi1 Abstract In spite of the fact that the term ‘soft skills’ is new in our context, it has a wide range of implications and effects. Soft skills are intangible, nontechnical, personality-specific skills that determine one’s strengths as a leader, facilitator, mediator, and negotiator. Soft skills are contrasted to hard skills in a sense that hard skills are limited to specific area. It is to be noted that in the course of seeking an employment in the market, individual’s soft skills are as important as hard skills. It is found that person’s hard skills lead an individual to the entrance of job market, soft skills guarantee the job opportunity and further career growth. It is urgent that we have to instill our graduates with remarkable amount of soft skills for quick employment. It is always advisable that the companies select human resources with the best non-technical skills that are likely to be available in the labour market. It is further important to foster and develop the employees. Thus, these inter-sectional skills are really important for the promotion and enhancement of the organization. Owing to the same fact, this paper argues how soft skills as employability are fundamental requirement for entry-level Jobs. Key Words: Soft Skills, EQ, Civic Sense, Social Graces, Technical Skills Opening the Window Nowadays people are much concerned about soft skills. Though it is a new term in the academia, business houses and government offices, it has been a buzz word.
    [Show full text]
  • SOFT SKILLS: the Missing Component That Prevents Many December 2019 Students from Blasting Off Into Their Careers
    SOFT SKILLS: The Missing Component That Prevents Many December 2019 Students From Blasting Off Into Their Careers Soft Skills: The Missing Component That Prevents Many Warm-up Students From Blasting Off Into Their Careers Challenge ErikChristensen Houston, TX MicheleHeston SACSCOC Annual Meeting 2019 2 Puzzle Challenge What Skills Did You Notice At Work? • Communication • Positive Attitude • Teamwork • Interpersonal Skills • Time Management • Willingness to Learn • Critical Thinking • Resilience • Problem Solving • Attention to Detail • Adaptability • Influencing • Creativity • Personal Skills • Leadership • Organization 3 4 Kindergarten to College Learning Outcomes Page 1 • Be able to explain what soft skills are. • Be able to describe why you should emphasize developing soft skills. • Be able to identify how to develop activities focused on developing soft skills. 5 6 SACSCOC AM 2019 – Houston 1 SOFT SKILLS: The Missing Component That Prevents Many December 2019 Students From Blasting Off Into Their Careers Note Taking Guide Page 2 Put notes Put here questions here Summarize What? here 8 7 Origin of the term “soft skills” U.S. Army training manual in the 1972 “skills, abilities, and traits that pertain to personality, A simple term for a attitude, and behavior rather than to formal or technical knowledge.” complex set of personal qualities 9 10 Many Other Names Soft vs. Hard Skills •Power Skills •Behavioral Skills Soft skills are character Hard skills are specific, •Employability Skills •Leadership Skills traits and interpersonal quantifiable, and • • Communication Skills Human Skills skills that characterize teachable abilities that •People Skills •Personal Skills a person's relationship can be defined and •Emotional Intelligence •Interpersonal Skills with other people.
    [Show full text]
  • The New Talent Landscape: Recruiting Difficulty and Skills Shortages (SHRM, 2016)
    THE NEW TALENT LANDSCAPE RECRUITING DIFFICULTY AND SKILLS SHORTAGES THE NEW TALENT LANDSCAPE Recruiting Difficulty and Skills Shortages A RESEARCH REPORT BY THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Media Contact USA Kate Kennedy SHRM Headquarters Phone: + 1.703.535.6260 Alexandria, VA 22314 The Society for Human Resource Management E-mail: [email protected] Phone +1.800.283.7476 (SHRM) is the world’s largest HR professional society, E-mail [email protected] representing 285,000 members in more than 165 Vanessa Hill countries. For nearly seven decades, the Society Phone: +1.703.535.6072 China has been the leading provider of resources serving E-mail: [email protected] Gateway Plaza the needs of HR professionals and advancing the Chaoyang District Online practice of human resource management. SHRM Beijing, 100027 SHRM Online: shrm.org has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the Phone +86.10.59231033 United States and subsidiary offices in China, India SHRM Research & Surveys: shrm.org/research E-mail [email protected] and United Arab Emirates. Visit us at shrm.org. SHRM Research on Twitter: @SHRM_Research India SHRM Research on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com Gurgaon, Sector 26 SHRM Research on SHRM Connect: Haryana 122002 community.shrm.org Phone +91.12.44200243 E-mail [email protected] United Arab Emirates Dubai Knowledge Village Dubai, UAE Phone +971.050.104.6330 E-mail [email protected] 16-0156 To order printed copies of this report, visit shrmstore.shrm.org or call 1-800-444-5006. 2 About This Research Report 5 Executive Summary
    [Show full text]
  • The Great Skills Divide: a Review of the Literature
    The Great Skills Divide: A Review of the Literature Sophie Borwein Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Published by The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario 1 Yonge Street, Suite 2402 Toronto, ON Canada, M5E 1E5 Phone: (416) 212-3893 Fax: (416) 212-3899 Web: www.heqco.ca E-mail: [email protected] Cite this publication in the following format: Borwein, S. (2014). The Great Skills Divide: A Review of the Literature. Toronto: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. The opinions expressed in this research document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or official policies of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario or other agencies or organizations that may have provided support, financial or otherwise, for this project. © Queens Printer for Ontario, 2014 The Great Skills Divide: A Review of the Literature Executive Summary Discussions of Canada’s so-called “skills gap” have reached a fever pitch. Driven by conflicting reports and data, the conversation shows no signs of abating. On the one hand, economic indicators commonly used to identify gaps point to problems limited to only certain occupations (like health occupations) and certain provinces (like Alberta) rather than to a general skills crisis. On the other hand, employers continue to report a mismatch between the skills they need in their workplaces and those possessed by job seekers, and to voice concern that the postsecondary system is not graduating students with the skills they need. This paper is the first of three on Canada’s skills gap. It outlines the conflicting views around the existence and extent of a divide between the skills postsecondary graduate possess and those employers want.
    [Show full text]
  • SOFT SKILLS for 21ST CENTURY TEACHER Feby Inggriyani PGSD FKIP Unpas,Bandung, Indonesia E-Mail: [email protected]
    International Conference: Character Building Through Pricesly International Education October, 2017 FKIP UNPAS & PB Paguyuban Pasundan SOFT SKILLS FOR 21ST CENTURY TEACHER Feby Inggriyani PGSD FKIP Unpas,Bandung, Indonesia E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. 21st century forms a superior human resource. Education not only creates graduates who are able to compete, but coupled with healthy competence and able to excel in various fields. The duties of 21st century teachers are able to organize learning process and implement the four pillars of learning recommended by UNESCO for education, which is learning to know, learning to do, learning to be and learning to live together. Four competencies that must be owned by professional teachers are: pedagogic competence, professional competence, personality competence and social competence. 21st century education requires teachers to emphasize learning on critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation, communication, collaboration, and global awarness. The 21st century skills teachers must have are (1) life and career skills, (2) learning and innovation skills, and (3) information media and technology skills. Therefore, teachers are required not only to have hardskill but also to have softskill to succeed in their career and functioning in social life. soft skill a teachers should have interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Keywords: soft skill, 21st century, skill teacher I.INTRODUCTION content knowledge, curriculum and knowledge of The world of education can not be educational goals [1]. Other then, competence of separated from the figure of a teacher. Teachers 21st century professional teachers includes is are an important component that is crucial in the critical thingking (problem solving), creativity and success of learners.
    [Show full text]
  • Emotional Intelligence for Internal Auditors
    Feature Emotional Intelligence for Internal Auditors Understand and develop your soft skills By Deborah A. Radke, CPA building and keeping trust relationship strategies nternal auditors need specific technical skills and Iexpertise to be successful in their jobs. However, our soft skills play an even more significant role in our professional success. These soft skills are n necessary in our dealings with our clients during o i t a an audit, in our interactions with the leaders of c i n c u o m m our organizations, and in daily interchanges with co-workers in our own department. A 2013 white paper by The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and Robert Half International emphasized the concept of soft skills.1 Soft skills cover a broad landscape of competencies in areas such as communication, relationship strategies, building and keeping trust, navigating through situations, negotiating skills, constructive conflict management, and empathy. All these traits revolve around how you relate with other people and are linked with your emotional intelligence (EI). Over the past two decades, studies have shown that a person’s degree of EI is more important than IQ, advanced degrees or technical work experiences, whether you work in an entry-level job or a leadership position. For example, the IIA Research Foundation issued a report in 2011 on understanding and applying soft skills. An auditor’s success emotional intelligence or failure is dependent on relationships and communication, empathy with high levels of emotional and social intelligence
    [Show full text]
  • Teaching and Assessing Soft Skills K
    2011 Teaching and Assessing Soft Skills K. Kechagias (Ed.) UK Mina Welsh, Marie Stewart, Angie Mearns GR Konstantinos Kechagias, Despoina Papadopoulou, Eleni Agapidou, Ioannis Kalivas, Panagiotis Ananiadis SW Peter Wåglund, Ewa Marianne Jonsson, Lena Norling, Tommy Rask RO Simona Luca , Viorica Dragan, Cecilia Iuga NL Stephanie Plompen, Dorothé Snippert, Piet Terpstra, Pauline Hupkes, Jolanda Botke MASS Project September 2011 K. Kechagias e-mail: [email protected] UK Mina Welsh, Marie Stewart, Angie Mearns e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] GR Konstantinos Kechagias, Despoina Papadopoulou, Eleni Agapidou, Ioannis Kalivas, Panagiotis Ananiadis e-mail: [email protected] SW Peter Wåglund, Ewa Marianne Jonsson, Lena Norling, Tommy Rask e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] RO Simona Luca , Viorica Dragan, Cecilia Iuga e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] NL Stephanie Plompen, Dorothé Snippert, Piet Terpstra, Pauline Hupkes, Jolanda Botke e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] 3 Publisher: 1st Second Chance School of Thessaloniki (Neapolis) Str. Strempenioti, 1st and 3rd Gymnasium 56760 Neapolis (Thessaloniki) ISBN: 978-960-9600-00-2 Thessaloniki, 2011 Teaching and Assessing Soft Skills by K. Kechagias is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at www.mass-project.org. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at [email protected]. 5 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS
    [Show full text]
  • Seminar in Applied Interpersonal Dynamics
    HR 5173-101: Seminar in Applied Interpersonal Dynamics Course Description: This course has a multi-dimensional purpose: (1) To expand participants’ understanding and use of Interpersonal Neurobiology (e.g., Mindsight) and Emotional and Social Intelligence. To promote their recognizing the impact of these concepts on the mind, human development, behavior, relationships, and health; (2) To strengthen awareness, integration, and interpersonal communication skills, directed toward building healthy relationships. Concurrently, the experience is designed to increase one’s effectiveness as a helper in personal and professional settings. As a course built on adult learning and experiential learning concepts, this class involves extensive hands-on work in the form of active interaction in small groups, triads, and work with case studies and their analysis. As a result, I hope you will find the classes fun and engaging. As another means of keeping the class dynamics varied, I do not deliver lengthy lectures. The class also includes a variety of media. For example, the course will use a few additional YouTube presentations by Daniel Siegel, another one by Amy Cuddy (on Presence), as well as a few DVDs, including one, featuring Daniel Goleman on Social and Emotional Intelligence. Some of the concepts included in this course may, at times, seem abstract or challenging to understand; yet, our primary focus will involve the practical application of “people skills” directed toward enhancing personal and interpersonal effectiveness, personal and professional growth, and the use of these competencies to increase participants’ ability to act as helping professionals in support of others. Helping professionals are not limited to licensed counselors or therapists.
    [Show full text]
  • Interpersonal Skills
    Interpersonal Skills https://www.skillsyouneed.com/interpersonal-skills.html Interpersonal skills are the skills we use every day when we communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups. People with strong interpersonal skills are often more successful in both their professional and personal lives. Interpersonal skills include a wide variety of skills, though many are centred around communication, such as listening, questioning and understanding body language. They also include the skills and attributes associated with emotional intelligence or being able to understand and manage your own and others’ emotions. People with good interpersonal skills tend to be able to work well in a team or group, and with other people more generally. They are able to communicate effectively with others, whether family, friends, colleagues, customers or clients. Interpersonal skills are therefore vital in all areas of life at work, in education and socially. Through awareness of how you interact with others, and with practice, you can improve your interpersonal skills. This section of Skills You Need is full of information and practical advice that you can use to improve and develop your interpersonal skills. You Already Have Interpersonal Skills We've all been developing our interpersonal skills since childhood, usually subconsciously. Interpersonal skills often become so natural that we may take them for granted, never thinking about how we communicate with other people. If you have developed good habits, this is fine. However, it is of course also possible to develop bad habits, and then fail to understand why our communications or relationships are suffering. However, with a little time and effort you can develop both your awareness, and these skills.
    [Show full text]