Human resource managers often say they are for customer service employees with ‘people-skills’ but exactly what does that mean? Most people assume that the term people skills is just another way to say friendly, but there’s more to people skills than merely being pleasant.
People-skills are essentially the life skills that allow you to play nice with others. The expression ‘people-skills’ refers to both the ability to interact with others AND the capability to deal with your own emotions, reactions and motivations. These traits are a critical part of what makes you a healthy and well-adapted human being, and since nobody wants to hire an emotional wreck, people with these skills are sought after in the workplace. Given the choice most managers will choose an employee with excellent people skills over one with excellent technical skills. Why? Because it is easier to teach someone ‘how to do something’ than it is to teach them ‘how to relate to people’.
It goes without saying you need to be honest, practice good manners and a good sense of humor doesn’t hurt when you work in this business. Here are some additional people-skills you’ll need to get ahead at work…and in life:
The ability to connect with others – The ability to connect with people is essential in the customer service business. Having a well-rounded personality and perspective on life will usually make it possible for you to relate to almost anyone…or at least ‘get’ where they are coming from.
Strong communication skills – You’ve heard this one before… that’s because it is the foundation of all business and personal skills. Communication skills showcase your personality and determine how well you get along with co-workers and customers. Having a ‘way with words’ will serve you well both at work and in your personal life.
Patience – If you can be patient with others and keep a level head in stressful situations, you’ll have a life skill that will help out you in many circumstances. Managers never forget those short-fuses who blow their stack at work and don’t see them as leadership material.
Being interested in people – Having a natural curiosity about people and genuinely caring about them as fellow human beings is something that can’t be taught, but it is an instrumental people skill that will bring you many positive returns, a kind of ‘corporate karma’ if you will, in what can sometimes feel like a dehumanized environment.
Open minded –To create trust and respect in others, they need to know you are willing to consider their point of view or listen to their feedback. Being open minded also helps you be well-liked and more approachable at work.
Know your audience – Knowing what, how and when to say things to people is an indispensable skill to have. For instance, knowing if you can joke with someone or not… This also includes being sensitive to personal circumstances for instance if someone has just lost their job, you might not want to talk about your promotion or the fabulous vacation you’re taking next week. Though this might seem unimportant it can be one of the primary reasons people will emotionally shut down and stop communicating with you.
Good judgment – will allow you to wisely select friends, what reactions to have, actions to take, how flexible you need to be in any given situation. When in doubt – listen to your gut, it often has something valuable to say.
How good are your people skills? Take this interactive test from mindtools.com to find out! http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_36.htm