People Person or People Pleaser?

As I was looking for inspiration this morning, my morning devotionals gave me some insight – talks of holding a grudge, respecting others and not letting pride get in the way of relationships led me to an article on the Direct Selling Education Foundation site called “6 People Skills You Need to Succeed“.  Being a “people pleaser” for most of my life, I always thought I was a “people person” but the two are very different.  If I want to succeed in business or as a leader, we need to make sure that we have these 6 people SKILLS:

1.  Learn to be calm and think clearly.  This one is easy – as a mom and a Social Worker, I have always been calm in a crisis.  I may fall apart when everything is said and done but isn’t that natural?  People who can act quickly are better able to evaluate a situation and react successfully.

2.  Acquire knowledge and build self-confidence.  The saying “knowledge is power” was lost on me.  I have lots of knowledge and information in my head but it doesn’t always translate to building my self-confidence.  Blogging has helped in this area.  I mean you never realize how much knowledge you have until you start sharing it, right? For those that know me, I have built my self-confidence through my Thirty One business which is now overflowing into other areas of my life.  This is truly a blessing.

3.  Develop communication skills and apply them.  To be a good communicator, you need to be a good LISTENER.  Remember that 10-second rule from Deb Bixler.  People appreciate it when you listen to them as a result they will trust you.  People buy from people that they trust.

4.  Develop a never give up mentality.  Persistence pays off.  I am trying to develop this type of mentality.  I do have days when Debbie Doubtful and Negative Nancy stop by for a visit.  Those are typically the days when I am emotionally, spiritually and physically drained – wondering (and maybe even doubting) what God’s plan is for me personally and for my business.  I can not fail unless I give up BEFORE I succeed – wise words.

5.  Acquire a win-win attitude.  When it comes to my customers, this is easy.  I never want my customers to buy a product that is not going to make them happy.  It is easy to create a win-win situation with them and as a result build relationships that increase my business.  I struggle in this area sometimes with my team.  A multitude of personalities some of whom are VERY competitive and are looking to be a winner makes a team win-win situation difficult.

6.  Develop great networking skills and a network of supporters.  Think about your target market and get involved in a variety of ways.  This is a newly learned skill for me.  I have been blessed to meet a supportive group of women at the Entrepreneurial Think Tank for Moms who have helped me to grow in this area.   I entered a Nervous Nellie and with their help have blossomed into a blogger and a network demon.  Thirty One connections have helped me to develop a love for making phone calls to network and build more relationships.

Which of these skills are natural for you?  Which of these do you need to develop in order to be successful in your business?  Are there any skills that have been left out – please share with us your thoughts and experiences.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day.