Proper social skills are an integral part of the business world and have to be followed by experienced and start-ups alike to stand up to the expectations of customers, achieve business growth and to exploit the business opportunities to the maximum extent.
The 10 basic social skills that need to be followed are discussed below.
1.Maintain Eye Contact: While conversing with the customer in any aspect of the business, a proper eye contact has to be maintained. Remaining focused on the system, mobile, etc. and noting down the customer’s points will send the signal that the customer’s concern is not heard properly. It is highly important that while conversing with the customer a proper eye contact is maintained so that the customer gets a feel that his/her concern is properly listened.
2.Use of Proper Body Language: Affirmative verbal response to the customer should also be accompanied by corresponding body language. The face should be filled with warmth and the body with energy while listening and responding to the customer. Easy and comfortable postures like arms folded, legs crossed, etc., can turn others off. Thus, it is important to maintain warmth and energetic posture while dealing with the customers.
3.Understand the Difference between Assertiveness and Aggressiveness: Assertiveness is to express your views and actions in a clear and authoritative manner while respecting the views and actions of others without negating them. Aggressiveness, on the other hand, is just valuing your views and actions and out rightly opposing the opinions and actions of others. It is important that in dealing with the customers, we should adopt an assertive approach rather than an aggressive approach.
4.Select Proper Communication Channels: There are different mediums through which we can express our feelings. In case of emotions, anger, hatred, etc., emails, and social media are not a proper channel. It is better to express such feelings face to face. We should even take care to make a proper use of comma, as there is a lot of difference between the sentences, “I am not as fool as you think” and “I am not as fool as you, think”.
5.Be Flexible and Cooperative: Never adopt the approach that your way and method is the only one. The methods and ways of others may also be equally good or even better. So, we should be flexible and open to other solutions. It is to be remembered that to achieve anything in life we need the help of others. Thus, we have to be open to share ideas and work in a cooperative manner to achieve any set goal or solution.
6.Accept Criticism without Being Defensive: Learn to accept criticism without being defensive. Particularly when someone more experienced is criticizing, learn to listen and understand the whole statement without at once getting defensive. Even if the criticism is not justified, be patient and assert your justification against the criticism politely without offending the critique. In any case, if the critique is not accepting your justification, accept his criticism for the benefit of your business.
7.Remain Positive Everytime: Positive attitude and success share a very close relationship. The same is applicable in social sphere also. Highly social people remain positive which makes them more impressive and opens their gate to success wider. Although they have their own ups and downs in their personnel life, they don’t reel in self-pity, uncertainty and unhelpfulness.
8.Be a Good Teacher and Student: Businessmen in their quest for getting things done effectively and efficiently carve for constant learning. As a part of good social skills, they are also good teachers and are always ready to share their knowledge and experiences with others. These qualities make them humble and highly inquisitive. Thus, by being good teacher and student, they keep on broadening their mental horizon and are on the constant move ahead in their business.
9.Be Respectful: Respect others irrespective of how powerful or superior you are in business and life. Respectful behavior shows that you have regards for the worth of others. Never feel that you have edge over others in power, position, wealth, knowledge and experience. Staying down to earth and cautious is a good social skill to posses.
10.Being Human: Above all, having all the good human qualities is the most important social skill. Having good human qualities of kindness, forgiveness, patience, understanding, humility, etc., enhances your goodwill in the business and opens the success gates wide open for you. Good human qualities are emphasized by every theory and philosophy of business and social behavior.
In conclusion, it can be said in short that get away with the attitude that you are only right. Try to accommodate and adjust with other views, interests, ways of life, etc., in order to develop good social skills and achieve success in business.
[/cmsmasters_text][/cmsmasters_column][/cmsmasters_row]