Happiness depends on essential skills

Social skills are essential components needed in personal and professional life to excel in career goals and establish a name for yourself in the society. The skill in other words is an interactive skill verbally, nonverbally, written or visual communication while conveying a message.

The expression, the intonation of your voice, physical gestures or body language, facial expression, eye contact are all the ways you use to express yourself. All these come under soft or social skills. These soft sills are important for each one of us in our day-to-day life.

We acquire hard skills or professional ability and mastery in the subject you graduated or learnt while on job. Personal qualities, to interact successfully with others are essential to do well in life.

When you are working with a team or in a team, while discussing with a client or when it comes to motivating your employees or your peers these soft skills come to your aid.

Observe how friends, family, or co-workers interact with others. Try imitating their ways and techniques. Strike a conversation even if it is a small talk. It's not difficult to stir a conversation if you are genuinely interested in. Be loud and clear, this doesn't mean raising your decibel level. Be conscious of the words you choose and your expressions. Your face mirrors everything. If the conversation is disinteresting avoid frowning and staring at the ceiling. It means you are indirectly insulting the person in conversation with.

Social skills are important while looking for a job.

While you are being hired Human resources personnel observe your reactions, expressions, your responses, your eye contact and your body language. Think of Newton and the law he coined standing under the apple tree: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

For the convenience of the readers, I have grouped the social skills as empathy, cooperation, Communication and time management.

Empathy is the most essential skill for everyone in the day-to-day life. Being empathetic means ability to understand and identify others' problems, placing yourself in their shoes and giving a patient hearing to the troubled soul. Make maximum effort to give a friendly advice and solace.

If needed use words like 'I am sorry, it shouldn't have happened, I know what you are going through', etc. Empathy is the ability to sense, feel, understand and place oneself in another's position. Empathy is acknowledging the pain of others, showing interest and listening to the woes and worries. Give support because the person trusted you and vented out his or her fears and agony.

Sympathising and consoling helps the person in recovering faster than expected. Shun using strong words, it only harms than doing good. Good empathy skills make good relationships at school, college and later at workplace. Make yourself vulnerable and wholeheartedly connect with the grieving.

Co-operation involves individuals or groups working together to achieve individual goals or joint goals. In other words, it is working together for a common goal. To achieve success in this effort there may be clash of ideas, egos and difference of opinion in implementing an idea. Initial teething troubles can be resolved by understanding each other keeping in mind the common goal.

Don't forget the thumb rule reaching the goal is most important. Common goals cannot be pursued without co-operation and without patience. Sink in the differences and go ahead. Failure should be accepted jointly. Nobody in the group should push the blame on a single individual. At the same time success should be enjoyed equally by all. Self-control and discipline give the ability to resolve conflicts and mis understandings amicably.

Communication means written, unwritten, verbal and non-verbal expressions. Many problems arise because of lack of ability to express. While mailing, messaging or writing do not go through a labyrinth or use a roundabout method. Use crisp and clear sentences. Simple expressions are always appreciated. Check your spellings and grammatical errors if any, to make sure the information is passed correctly.

In nonverbal communications positive responses can be conveyed through body language and through your eyes. Eyes express the most without your knowledge or consent. Make your friends, colleagues or business partners comfortable and build a rapport by understanding their body language too.

Time management and energy management is very important. Recognize your inability instead of blaming time. This is nothing but escapism. Plan and learn to manage time and energy efficiently. If the time is managed perfectly half the job is done. This is fast moving world. Nothing waits for you. You miss the bus you will be left waiting at the crossroads endlessly. Peep into your mind and study your thoughts and actions well. Sometimes intuition and gut feeling helps you. Do not take it as waste of time. It will help you to prioritize and reschedule your projects and activities and at the same time saves you from procrastination.

High light your soft skills in your resume depending upon the nature of job or course of study you are opting for.

What suits one person may not suit another. Each is an individual with his or her intelligence and abilities. Pull up your talents, Strengths and use them for your success. Don't dream of success, work for it.

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. Work hard. Be loyal to yourself. Learn from failures.

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