Good People Skills For Students

Written By Colēgia

Students will need to master a wide assortment of skills throughout their lifetime and some of the most valuable are people skills. These have an effect on our interactions and can help us in various aspects such as communication. Today we want to cover some of the most helpful people skills for students to learn.

Negotiation

Negotiation is extremely valuable in that it can help you convey what you want to others along with finding compromises in order to reach that. This is defined as “discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.” Typically this can be seen in business where two parties try to make a deal. A common misconception with this is that many times we want to get the edge over the other side involved. This is a mistake as there are many situations where we will have to consider the long-standing relationship of the people involved. We need to be mindful that negotiation requires both parties to reach a concession and ideally get what each side wants. This isn't always the case, but being able to say no to something is important. Learning to love your “no” option is crucial as you want to have a sense of control over what you do. People are autonomous beings and trying to force a decision causes more harm than good.

“Negotiation is extremely valuable in that it can help you convey what you want to others along with finding compromises in order to reach that.”

Communication

Communication is the cornerstone of any people-related skill and effectively being able to talk with others is vital. Some common areas to keep in mind are things such as tone of voice, body language, and rapport. Tone is good as it can convey how you feel by the inflection of your voice. If you're trying to come across as serious, then you may need a downward inflection. To sound more lighthearted, you will want an upward inflection. Body language matters as things such as eye contact can affect how others perceive you. This specifically can show that you are paying attention to what someone else is saying along with showing them respect. How you carry yourself such as whether you fold your arms to new information can also affect this as well. In this instance, it conveys that you may be feeling reserved toward things which can make communication slightly harder. It is a give and take and finding ways for your thoughts to be harmonious with your body can make all the difference.

“Communication is the cornerstone of any people-related skill and effectively being able to talk with others is vital.”

Problem Solving

Problem-solving is one of the last major key components when it comes to people skills as this can directly impact success for both sides. Being able to adapt to different problems on the spot can be good for students as it will be needed at all stages in life. People-related problem solving can be challenging as it varies depending on someone’s temperament, background, and other factors. Working together with others is valuable as there will be many times where we need to combine our efforts on a team, or even just being there for someone. Problem-solving doesn't have to be something we do by ourselves, rather it is an opportunity to cooperate with others.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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