Be more social by being self-expressing and empathic

Express your feelings
One key social competence is how well or poorly people express their own feelings. People can minimize, exaggerate, or substitute their feelings. Emotional displays have immediate consequences in the impact you make on the person who receives them. You send emotional signals in every encounter, and those signals affect those you are with. So, choose how you express yourself wisely.

Practice empathy by paying attention to social signals
Empathy, another ability that builds on emotional self-awareness, is the fundamental “people skill.” People who are empathic are more attuned to the subtle social signals that indicate what others need or want. This makes them better at callings such as the caring professions, teaching, sales, and management. Being empathic makes you better at managing others.

Be more connective
Being connective makes it easy to enter into an encounter or to recognize and respond fittingly to people’s feelings and concerns—the art of relationship. Such people make good “team players,” dependable spouses, good friends, or business partners; in the business world, they do well as salespeople or managers or can be excellent teachers.

Analyze social situations
Being able to detect and have insights into people’s feelings, motives, and concerns. This knowledge of how others feel can lead to an easy intimacy or sense of connection.