| One of the most difficult things to do in life, if you | | | | understand manner. Focusing your attention on |
| do not have the skills to, is to connect socially | | | | the emotional needs of others goes a long way |
| with other people, and to build relationships on an | | | | toward alleviating your own self-consciousness |
| interpersonal level. Without the skills necessary this | | | | issues and allows for a deeper, more meaningful |
| simple and essential part of the human experience | | | | interaction. |
| seems an insurmountable mountain of futility. But | | | | BUILD RAPPORT |
| with practice, effort and dedication, learning the | | | | Also a crucial skill to build an interpersonal social |
| social skills necessary can be the easiest thing | | | | relationship is practicing building a rapport with the |
| you've done all day. Here are a few interpersonal | | | | other person, to find common ground and |
| social skills to learn to build better relationships | | | | common understanding, to make yourself seem |
| with people. | | | | almost indistinguishable from your counterpart. |
| CONTROL ANXIETY | | | | The most effective ways to do this are through |
| Being anxious is the quickest way to relationship | | | | body language "mirroring" where you attempt to |
| failure. Build up your ability to remain calm and | | | | match as best as you can the posture and |
| allow your brain to work effectively and you will | | | | mannerisms of the other person. Also, use |
| have removed a massive road block to building up | | | | reflexive speech, which is the act of taking what |
| your social skills on an interpersonal level. | | | | the other person has told you, paraphrasing it, and |
| LEARN HOW TO LISTEN ACTIVELY | | | | saying it back to them in a way that shows you |
| The most crucial skill to improving your | | | | understand. |
| interpersonal social skills is to learn how to shut | | | | LEARN SELF-DISCLOSURE |
| off your passive listening and turn on your active | | | | One of the most basic skills to build in your quest |
| listening. Learn to listen to everything, absorb | | | | for a better relationship is to learn the subtle art |
| what they say and fully process it. | | | | of self-disclosure, which is knowing when and to |
| BE EMPATHETIC | | | | what extent to talk about yourself and your own |
| The biggest hurdle to honest and straightforward | | | | issues, and when to talk about the other person. |
| social relationship building is one person not being | | | | The key in self-disclosure to find a proper balance |
| able to empathize with another. Learn to | | | | between talking about you and talking about your |
| recognize what their body language, posture, | | | | counterpart. Without this effective social skill, you |
| inflection and word choice reveals about their | | | | cannot make great friends and connections with |
| current emotional state an learn how best to | | | | people. |
| respond to those cues in a comforting and | | | | |