People Skills

People skills are an important element for the success of any business. These skills define a person’s ability to appropriately communicate with, listen to and interrelate with others either on professional or personal levels. Professionals and business people particularly require these skills when relating with their clients and also partners in the business. Good people skills are not just limited to communicating, interrelating, or listening to others, but also extend to a willingness to work with others to achieve a common objective, the ability to solve any problems that may arise, and being compassionate and empathetic towards others. Further to these, self-awareness, personal confidence, patience, being accountable, conflict resolution skills, having a positive attitude, being honest, ability to good-naturedly handle stressful situations, having a strong work ethic, and being proactive are also important skills that business professionals require when interacting with their clients, to build a good rapport and a positive reputation.

So one would ask why strong people skills are so important for the success of any business undertaking. The reasons are many. But a few of these include the fact that these skills help in building trust between the business professionals and their clients and partners as well as among themselves. These further enhance mutual respect and create dynamic exchanges among the business’ employees, all of which serve to ensure the smooth running of the business. Such skills also eliminate the risks of miscommunication and resolve any conflicts amicably. They similarly encourage individual expression and a listening ear, which all contribute to the notion of everyone being involved in decision-making and no one feels left out.

Entrepreneur, Shalom Lamm, who is the CEO of Operation Benjamin, a nonprofit that assists American-Jewish community members afford proper burial to their kin improperly buried during the second World War opines that one factor to becoming successful as a professional businessperson is to have essential communication skills; which is one of the requisite people skills for a business’ success. He points out that knowing how to properly communicate and interrelate with one’s clients and helping them achieve their goals as well helps in gaining their confidence and hence better relations.

A graduate of Yeshiva University, Lamm who later acquired a Masters certificate in American Military History from the American Military University also opines that business professionals should be honest and fair.. The real estate mogul also emphasizes ensuring the wellbeing of both the clients and the business’ employees as this makes sure that there is a good rapport constantly maintained in the business. He furthermore emphasizes being reliable to those one works with, a quality that will similarly be replicated by those you work with. This should be coupled with strong work ethics, and demonstration of kindness, according to him.

To ensure good people skills, Shalom Lamm believes it is advisable to often make an effort to check on them time and again, now and then trying to get their feedback on issues they contend with, knowing the way they work, setting prospects for both them and you and striving to deliver them, creating an aura of accountability upon oneself, being a good communicator, and being able to own up to one’s mistakes.