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We engage in many types of conversations on a daily basis. It can be a video call with your friend, a discussion about lunch with your parents or a meeting with a team member about a new project. The way we approach each of these conversations signifies how empathetic we are and if we have the right social skills.
Social skills are interpersonal skills that help you build deeper and stronger connections with the people in your life. In your workplace, social skills are important to develop a robust work ethic. There are many types of social skills that you exercise in your workplace. Whether it’s listening intently to what’s being said or asking a team member how they’re doing, social skill development will help you stand out among your peers.
Social skills are about empathy and acknowledging others. These will help you navigate your way through difficult conversations at work, improve your team’s efficiency and realize your objectives. Harappa Education’s Speaking Effectively course will help you understand the importance of being sensitive with your words, balancing your verbal and nonverbal communication and creating a safe space for your peers.
Let’s look at the crucial types of social skills to become a respectful and authentic member of your team.
The Types Of Social Skills
You can develop social skills with the right motivation. The most important aspect of effective speaking is to get your point across in a way that benefits both parties. (picklelicious.com) Mutual understanding and respect can help you build a rapport with your teammates, managers and clients.
How To Improve Your Social Skills
Here’s a social skills list identifying examples of social skills you can cultivate in the workplace by:
1. Being Vulnerable
To appear honest and trustworthy, you have to first put yourself out there. When you want to engage a timid colleague in conversation, being vulnerable can help them open up to you because you’re willing to listen. Share your experience if you want them to identify with you.
2. Being Attentive
It’s one thing to invite conversation but if you’re distracted, the other person will feel discouraged. They may shy away from interacting with you again or think that you’re not interested in hearing their side of the story. Paying attention to the other person’s feelings will help you tailor your words according to them.
3. Asking Questions
An important skill is the ability to ask open-ended questions. This determines the other person’s willingness to answer questions and share their stories. By asking the right questions, you’re creating a safe space for them to communicate their concerns, sadness, or happiness.
4. Being Empathetic
Sharing in someone’s sadness and celebrating their happiness are crucial skills in a work environment. Learn to recognize someone’s mood and emotional state by catching onto nonverbal cues like the tone of their voice and their body language. This will help you become attuned to those around you. Empathy is powerful is a powerful trait and will help you achieve greater career success.
5. Expressing Your Gratitude
The most respectful thing to do in a workplace is expressing your gratitude where necessary. Things like telling your co-worker that you appreciate their help or sending a quick thank you note to your senior acknowledging their constant support goes a long way.
The ABC Framework
The ABC Framework is an important concept—part of the Speaking Effectively course—that will help you become more empathetic at work. The framework teaches you how to improve social skills by:
- Acknowledging your biases
- Being interested in others
- Catching what’s not being said
This not only encourages you to be curious about what someone has to share but also ensures that you’re sensitive to their background and where they stand. It’s an essential social skill where you learn how to be honest, non-judgmental, and respectful of people who belong to diverse backgrounds.
Social skill development is an intuitive approach to the world. You have to be sensitive and sensible in how you deal with conversations—especially those that revolve around topics of race, gender, language and nationality. But with the correct outlook, you can develop social skills for successful work conversations.
Harappa Education’s Speaking Effectively course will help you speak with impact and develop empathy to ace one-on-one conversations—like a job interview—tailor your words to take into account someone’s preferences and ask questions without being intrusive.
Explore the skills & topics such as Social Skills, Conversation Skills, Key Skills for a Job & Importance of Education from our Harappa Diaries blog section and be workplace ready.
