Some useful social skills that can be picked up quickly

From a Being an Introvert to Networking with Top Most Entrepreneurs, bureaucrats and Politicians. I learned these can be picked up easily will make you a great Networker.

1. Stop focusing on your inner dialogue - When I was in my early twenties, I would often be worried about what I would say next…even as the person was still talking to me. This is literally THE recipe to a bad conversation. Usually after the person finished speaking, I would say what was on my mind and they would give me this look like “did you even listen to what I said?” Admit it, you’ve probably been in a conversation before and found yourself thinking of what you’re going to say next…as the other person is still talking to you. Yeah, don’t do that. You may end up missing out on what the person is saying and then you won’t have a good follow up question or comment on that topic. It’ll disrupt the flow of conversation and show that you’re only focused on yourself and not them. Focus on them.

1. Your energy matters - I’ve given hundreds of live presentations to groups as big as 300 people before and people often mention how my energy and enthusiasm are infectious and help me stand out from my competition. Your energy makes a difference. Are you smiling? Or are you avoiding eye contact, folding your arms and sitting down with slumped shoulders with a pouting look on your face? Your energy and physical movements send an incredibly strong signal to people. When I meet people for the first time, I try to make strong eye contact, shake hands and repeat their name back to them when I greet them in a loud voice. Make sure you send the right kind of energy that invites people to talk to you.

1. Be true to yourself - Being authentic is important because it allows people to more easily connect with you. We’re all uniquely weird in our own ways, so embrace it. For example, I love writing with a little bit of humor in my articles. Will everyone laugh at my style? Nope. But some will and those are the people I connect with. Turns out there’s quite a few of them (my articles have over 14 million views now), so I can tell you firsthand being authentic pays off! Also, have you ever acted in a way that isn’t true to who you are? It’s exhausting. Be authentic.

1. When in doubt, ask questions - Have you ever been in a situations where you can’t think of something interesting to say because you haven’t been following the specific topic being discussed? For example, one of my friends recently brought up the topic of the “carnivore diet.” This is a topic I knew absolutely nothing about, other than the fact that it sounds like a diet consisting simply of meat and animal foods like eggs and certain dairy products. So instead of commenting on the topic with zero knowledge on it, I simply asked questions. And guess what, the person who studied it was able to talk about it at length. We ended up with a great conversation where I asked questions and learned about this diet from the other person. People love to talk as subject matter experts or themselves. Let them talk. You do the asking.

1. Master introductions with details - When I used to host executive dinners in Silicon Valley, I would send an email with a detailed introduction of each person’s background including their work experience, education and recent developments at their company. The response and engagement rates were incredibly high from the executives and many would email me back to tell me how much they appreciated the introduction. These introductions helped people get comfortable with each other and it started to feel like a community versus a bunch of random strangers getting together for dinner. The best part? Many of these executives continued to come back to my events because they really valued the social connections I helped make for them. Pay attention to the details when you introduce people, they’ll appreciate your effort and feel valued.

1. Always lead with kindness - When I first started working at a large fortune 1000 company, I would often volunteer for projects to help other team members even though I wasn’t required to (and often times wasn’t paid to do). Many of these team members would remember my actions over time. One of these team members helped me get my next job that resulted in a 45% raise and promotion. Even when things have gotten tough, I’ve always led with kindness and it’s worked out for the best. You can work hard, get stuff done and crush it at work - all while being good to others. People remember how you make them feel.

1. Learn the magic of recall - Often times, when I see someone again, I’ll mention a topic that we talked about from our previous conversation. For example, one day I met a new friend at my workout class and she mentioned she was getting sworn in as an attorney. A few days later, I started the conversation by asking how the swear in ceremony went. She later told me that it seemed like I really cared because I remembered that specific detail. Use the power of recall - it shows you care.

useful social skills

1. When a group changes topic after your enter, leave immediately.
2. If someone is staring at you, don't look at them again and again.
3. Dad scolding you, don't argue.
4. If someone is making fun of you, laugh with them and ignore.
5. Don't pass funny comments at someone in public.
6. Don't argue with old man on politics.