It may be said that “people skills” are *the* differentiator between the relatively successful person and the stratospherically successful one.
That person who has an ability to work with others in such a way that both parties come away significantly better off than they were before will be constantly sought out to do business and collaborate with.
Genuine Influence: This is the ability to attain mutually beneficial results in such a way that the other person feels *genuinely* good about themselves, about the situation, and about you!
Those who can constantly and consistently do this are typically immensely successful. They are exceptional and esteemed leaders, salespeople, and citizens.
Key Point: The single greatest “people skill” is a highly developed and authentic interest…in the *other* person.
Indeed, one can certainly attain a very legitimate level of success through talent and hard work alone.
However, in order to reach that next level…people skills are key.
And genuine, authentic interest in others is the greatest manifestation of one’s people skills.
Exercise:
Make a study of “people skills.” There are tons of fantastic books about this, including How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, et al., as well as numerous other excellent resources.
While my book on this topic, Adversaries into Allies, is currently out of print, it will be republished in late 2025 under the title, Genuine Influence®. More on that later this year. 🙂
