If there is one thing that brings all of us humans together is our consistent pursuit of happiness and success. Although it may often seem like only a handful of individuals are able to achieve such apex – they get the best jobs, are lucky in love, and are always lively and smiling – we are all capable of reaching what we want.
Despite feeling frustrated or even jealous of people who appear to “have it all figured out”, you have the power to make a choice and start building your own happiness and success. However, you will soon realize that in order to be truly happy and successful, you’ll need to develop a range of interpersonal skills. These are skill related to your attitude, mood, and personality – how you choose to communicate with others, for example.
Interpersonal skills (or soft skills) can make a huge difference in your career and life since without them it becomes more difficult to find work, partners and happiness. As an example, imagine you went for a job interview but did not get the position. Indeed, there is a high chance you were not chosen for a lack of experience or qualification. But it is also possible that you didn’t lock in the job due to inadequate interpersonal skills such as not being a good listener or not demonstrating a positive attitude.
Hence, if you feel like the time has come to give both your career and life a boost, start by practising the skills below and you shall soon see an improvement.
1. Have the ability to listen
As it has proven itself over and over again, the ability to listen is the mother of all skills. By listening carefully and attentively to what others have to say, not only do you learn from them but also establish deeper relationships. And since relationships are the backbone of our existence, both you and your friend profit greatly from your ability to listen.
2. Willingness to accept criticism and be flexible
In our professional or personal lives, both good and bad criticism is important for becoming a better person or achieving success. By showing a willingness to accept criticism, you will open doors to make positive changes in your behaviour and life. Similarly, flexibility – although it is not taught at school – is necessary for all areas of life. If you are not sure about it, just remember how often you had to adjust your plans to meet someone else’s needs.
3. Focus on a task or problem
Due to our globalized world, constantly immersed in technology, we are more than ever bombarded by an endless amount of information which in turn affect our ability to hold our attention for long periods. The inability to focus on a task can be harmful both to our career and our personal relationships, often taking us away from the present moment. Hence, it is key to get out of this bubble and develop the ability to focus on the task at hand, which in the professional world has the advantage of putting ahead of the average person.
4. Learn to solve conflicts
Unfortunately, there are conflicts everywhere. In our rushed and hectic routines, most of us find ourselves discussing with our partners, co-workers, our children or even a stranger in traffic. But for the sake of happiness, it is valuable to learn how to resolve conflicts, which can involve something as simple as knowing when to walk away from a confrontation or being the first to apologize.
5. Strive to do good and be of service.
Doing good makes us feel good and striving to be of service has a direct and positive impact on our community. Whether dealing with clients, colleagues or friends, be mindful of your attitudes and try to promote the good and give rather than take, in all your interactions.
6. Have an eagerness to learn
Where would humanity be without our ability to learn? From the moment we are born until we become adults, we are constantly learning new things. Unfortunately, as many of us get older we tend to stop learning or having this eagerness to learn. Thus, in order to keep yourself young, happy and satisfied, rekindle your enthusiasm for learning.
7. Communicate clearly and effectively
We are always saying something (through words or body movements) and the act of communicating lies at the heart of all human interactions. Therefore, if to improve your career or personal life you should focus on learning how to communicate well – speaking, writing, body expressions, eye contact, etc. And as we mentioned in tip number 1, communication is not a one-way street – you need to be a good listener.