Are You Socially Aware? Could You Use Some New Strategies?

As the holiday season progresses and you check off all of the events and gatherings that you  attend with friends, family and referral partners, it might be a good time to review your “social awareness” skills.

Today’s tip identifies 10 more strategies to assist you with growing your social awareness from the resource that I have been using for the last several tips: Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Bradberry and Greaves.

Social awareness creates fertile ground for nurturing deep, high quality referral relationships that are long term in nature and very profitable for you, your referral partner and your mutual networks.

We finished last week’s tip with a reference to Social Awareness Strategy # 8 – Live in the Moment, a great place to start.

When you are with a member of your network who is living in the moment, can you tell that they are truly with you? Yes, you can.

8) Live in the Moment – “Social awareness requires that you live in the moment as naturally as a child does, so that you can notice what’s happening with others right now…Wherever you are, be as present as possible so that you see the people around you and experience life in the moment.”

9) Go on a 15 Minute Tour – “Didn’t someone say that life is about the journey, not the destination? To become socially aware, we need to remember to enjoy the journey and notice people along the way.” The conclusion to this strategy is to take 15 minutes out of your day to really notice the people around you.

10) Watch EQ at the Movies – “Believe it or not, watching movies from the land of make-believe is one of the most useful and entertaining ways to practice your social awareness skills for the real world.”

11) Practice the Art of Listening – The ultimate networking skill is listening. The authors of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 say that “listening is a strategy and skill that is losing ground in society.” They suggest that you stop and really listen to others which will “help you stay in the present moment, pick up on the cues the other person sends, and really hear what he or she is saying.” Give your network the gift of really listening to them in 2018.

12) Go People Watching – “People watching is a safe way for you to pick up on signals, observe interactions, and figure out underlying motivations or emotions without entering into the interaction yourself.” Go to Starbucks and just observe!

13) Understand the Rules of the Culture Game – “Rules? Much of doing and saying the right things in social situations comes from understanding the rules of the culture game…The secret to winning this culture game is to treat others how they want to be treated, not how you would want to be treated… The first step is to listen and watch even more for a longer period of time than you would with people from your own culture.. Next, ask specific questions..” And then break bread and learn more and never stop learning.

14) Test for Accuracy – When you are not sure about what is going on in the room, just ask. “Just ask? Remember there is no such thing as a silly question. Whether you are a novice or an expert in social awareness, we all need to confirm social observations at some point. The best way to test your accuracy is to simply ask if what you’re observing in people or situations is actually what’s occurring.”

15) Step into their Shoes – Actors learn to walk in their character’s shoes and come to appreciate that person as a result. “Walking in the shoes of another is social awareness at its best – and it’s not just for actors.”

16) Seek the Whole Picture – “Looking outward and seeking feedback are key to social awareness, because this gives us the chance to see how others view us – to see the whole picture.” Try a 360-degree survey.

17) Catch the Mood of the Room – “Emotions are contagious, meaning they spread from one or two people until there’s a palpable and collective mood that you will feel at some level…The sooner you can hone your ability to spot safety, concern or shifts in moods in group settings, the more skilled you will be in maneuvering through the social wilds of your life.”

The social awareness competency is a big one and a good place to end a great year. Thank you, 2017.