An open mind An open mind is the first step in people skills. When you listen to people talk you might just be ascending to the next plane. All it takes is respect for others. Nothing nurtures the mind more than an open mind. You will be amazed at the ideas that come into your head when you understand and agree. A frame of mind that accepts is remarkably superior to a negation. The instant you negate the mind gets all blocked up and one could be dwelling on ones own thoughts instead of concentrating on the other person. Accept what the people around you are saying hypothetically and keep up your absorption at the pace of the conversation. However make sure that the person you are talking to is a good person.

Teams and creativity It is important that one be as creative as possible and not repeat what other people say. Finally no one will respect a yes man who does not seem to give any output. It is important to create output that goes beyond the input. Initially one may draw a blank but as you exercise the mind you end up learning from your experiences and friends and can put down a definite opinion. Let me illustrate with a simple example:

Four people are running a small business. They are working on a business idea. Two are experienced and two inexperienced. Business ideas keep failing they all wonder what to do. They decide take a break and relax before they hit the desk again. As things go, it turns out that the two guys with the greater experience go out to have coffee together often. The other two team up as well. Hence two groups are formed. The inexperienced ones work hard together in the break and become as good as the other two. This time when everyone gets back to work no one is half asleep. The team is highly motivated and the business gets so many solutions and ideas that it is success all the way.

Talk technical It is easy to understand that you have a job to do. Do that diligently. It may not work. That is because people skills are involved. Let everyone know that you work - especially your boss. In many cases what happens is that you work hard, however when it comes to a conversation or an appraisal you might be at a loss for words. The reason for this being that your unassuming self does not talk business. People around may think you know nothing. So make sure from a leadership perspective that you do some talking. For example, you could be in a situation where you have created a set of diagrams for your business processes. All the work is your labor. Some smart talker could be selected to present it and grab all the credit. Make sure that to reach the meetings standard you can talk technical. Do not wander away from the topic at hand. The topic is work, work and more work.

Trust and distrust If you have a good boss… trust. If you are surrounded by a bunch of backstabbers it is best you distrust. One must trust only those who are tried and tested. While both are unlikely situations in the extreme one should know there is a middle path. Trust is a two-way phenomenon. It is important that one is trustworthy. This includes adherence to deadlines, not leaving meetings, contacting your boss in case of a problem, and helping everyone out. It is best if you co-operate with everyone you trust. D

o not be tied down by untrustworthy people. If someone has betrayed you watch out. That will happen again. It takes intelligent wit to survive along with an ability to evaluate people. Make sure that you trust someone before you speak your mind out.

Love them all All are good is the right attitude to have. They come in all shapes and sizes, they dress differently, they may shout, they may sing, they may be intelligent, they may be dunces… they are your office. Make sure you love them all. That however does not mean you sacrifice a professional approach. It is important to get your point through and that requires understanding your emotions towards the other person. Negative emotions will draw a wall. You have to live together for a long time. So it is best you live together happily. Respect will take you a long way towards accomplishing your goals.

Stay alert No one likes a sleepy head that does not get anything. For example marketing, a stress interview, meetings and negotiation are a battle of wits. If you wander off you will loose track of the discussion. Make sure that does not happen. Listen sharp. It is all based on answering the questions slipped out. If you are alert you will make it to the next meeting. If not they might just place you on your desk. Consider a case when the boss in a long meeting suddenly says get tasks one, two and three done. It is best not to be in a position to say, "I was not listening”. Some times you may not understand, but in business you might have to learn a new language.

Help and teach We all need help once in a while. Only those who give help get help. When anyone needs help do not let them down. There may be things you know and if another person in your organization requires that knowledge make sure you share. If you do not teach out of self interest you are sure to loose in the long run. But do not teach if no one wants to learn. Do not preach. Everyone finds an unwanted teacher most disgusting and boring. Teach what you know in short with maximum impact. Make sure the other person understands completely. Elaborate only when asked genuinely.

Talk It is important to talk. No one likes a guy who suddenly shuts up. Be frank and true. Don't ever get frightened to speak your mind out. Speak politely with good manners. Stay humble. These are just a few methods to make you likeable. Speak intuitively and intelligently. Never use bad language. Never shout at your subordinates. Never get angry. Clarify all you have to say. When asked or when you have to express an issue speak to completion. Make sure everyone has understood by asking politely especially with the subordinates. That gets work done. State clearly what you want done and believe your boss. If you have any doubts just ask.

To sum it up, be good, polish your skills, and once in a while imitate the best guys you know like an enlightened monkey.

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