5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Have Good Social Skills

 

 

Italians are  generally viewed as a very social and outgoing.  Italian society puts great emphasis on communications and  personal relationships and its part of the reason why Italians have a reputation for conveying warmth and openess with both native and non-natives alike.

In turn, here are five advantages associated with having good social skills, gleamed from our Italian American upbringing:

 

1. More Relationships

Identifying with individuals leads to both relationships and, at times, friendships.   And, as most people know, you can’t advance very far in life without being able to leverage relationships.  Focusing on relationships will help you land a job, advance in your job, make new friends, and give you a better outlook on life (a large social network equals satisfaction with life).

 

2. Great Communication Skills

Relating with people and being able to work in large groups inadvertently develops one’s communications skills.  After all, you can’t have great social skills without good communications skills and, in my view, being able to convey one’s thoughts and ideas maybe the single most important business skill of all time.

 

3. More Efficiency

If you’re good with people you can probably avoid being with the people you don’t like very much. For example, many folks dread social interactions because they don’t want to spend time with individuals who do not have similar interests and viewpoints.   So, if you’re at a business get together and don’t want to spend time with Joe because he can’t help you close a particular deal, a great set of social skills will allow you to politely convey that you need to spend time with other folks at the get together.

 

4. A Better Career

Most worthwhile jobs have a people component and the most lucrative positions often involve a large amount of time spent interacting with employees, media, colleagues, etc.  It’s a rare individual who can isolate himself in his office and still excel in his or her job.  Most organizations are looking for individuals with a particular, tactical, skill set and the ability to influence people to get things done.

 

5. Increased Quality of Life / Happiness

Getting along with people will open up many personal and career-related doors.  Striking up a conversation at a work related conference may lead to a new job offer with a higher salary or a smile and hello at your local tennis club may grab you a new tennis partner!  It’s also been widely acknowledged that retirees with a large social network have a higher level of happiness during their later years versus depressed and lonely 60-somethings who spend the majority of their free time watching TV with little or no social activities planned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

source:www.scordo.com