Here are some techniques that I've learned and implemented to become more social. I understand that
"easy" is relative but these should not be too difficult (or at least the learning curve is not steep).
1. Smile- More specifically, use a Duchenne smile! This probably the simplest one but some people just don't know or care about it's effectiveness.
2. Never say "no"- Eliminate the word "no" from your daily speech and see what happens. This will help you to avoid putting others down.
3. Focus on the person to whom you are talking- Focus the initial dialogue on the other person and listen carefully to what he/she has to say. People love talking about themselves and their interests and having someone who will listen to them.
4. Remember people's names- A person's name is the sweetest sound to that person's ears. Make a conscious effort to remember people's names as soon as you meet them.
5. Make eye contact- I frequently struggle with this one but eye contact is crucial. You will appear more confident, trustworthy, and even attractive. Next time you talk to new people, find out their eye colors within the first few seconds. You can just focus on one eye as you converse with them.
6. Match their energy levels- If a group of people are lively and you come in with very low energy, they're not going to accept you in a welcoming way. That said, if you notice someone is in a mood to relax, you might want to think twice before interacting with him/her to get pumped up for the next UFC event. Some recommend mirroring the other's body language but I believe this will naturally happen if you two are on the same level and communicating well.
These are probably the simplest ones most people can use instantly. More advice is covered in Dale Carnegie's classic How to Win Friends and Influence People. Some tips are a bit more difficult for many folks (e.g. apologizing immediately, not criticizing others, applying social psychological techniques to persuade people). I hope this helped :)
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