Be sensitive to oneself and others

A tramp was limping with a high heeled boot on one foot and none on the other foot. Seeing him struggling, a passer-by asked, ‘Have you lost one of your shoes?’ He said, ‘No’ and added that he found one boot; hence he wore it.

We pick up the unessential and suffer. To develop friendship, it is essential to listen to others attentively. This helps us build interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal skills are essential to develop friendships with others around us; at home, at the workplace..... etc., Once, Leo Buscaglia had been to a park and met a stranger.

‘Hello! How are you?’

‘We have not even met each other earlier. How can you say hello to me?’ The stranger said and moved away. The next day, Leo met the same person again. He said, ‘Hello, how are you? We have met before!’ and the person could not help but laugh! What does a person with interpersonal skills do when he meets a business associate for the first time? He learns to build a rapport.

If the associate is sitting straight, the other person would also sit straight. If the associate is sitting in a relaxed position, the other person too would sit in a relaxed manner. This is known as ‘body match.’

Those who are experts in interpersonal skills would not be talking continuously without allowing the other person to talk. They listen attentively by encouraging the other person to talk; thereby indicating their interest in him.

The next most important point is ‘eye contact.’ If someone is speaking and we look elsewhere, the speaker would infer that he is boring us and stop speaking. So, no matter whom we are talking or listening to, it is imperative to have eye contact during the interaction. There is a difference between ‘Looking’ and ‘Staring.’ Can one learn the art of looking? It is not who is right, but what is right. Be sensitive to oneself and to others.