Joseph Kanner is the owner of Quantum Management, an Elmsford, New York property management firm. Throughout his career, Joseph Kanner has found that excellent people skills are necessary for working with clients, property owners, staff, contractors, and tenants.
Technical know-how and industry experience is an essential component of success for any business. However, “soft skills,” including people skills, are equally important. These skills are both verbal and nonverbal and form a common thread that ties all successful business owners together. Some essential people skills include:
-The ability to communicate effectively. Whether you're a leader or a staff member, good communication skills are an essential component of success. Regardless of your position, you should always pursue professional, articulate, accurate, and efficient communication with clients and customers alike.
-The ability to relate to others. In a business context, you must be able to work toward an understanding of the viewpoints of other people--and those viewpoints, even if different from your own, need to be respected. Empathy, a key component of relating to others, takes respect a step further and seeks to understand the feelings of another person.
-Actively listening. Instead of formulating a response while a client or customer is talking, a person with good people skills refrains from interrupting, engages with what the speaker said, and responds appropriately.
-Being adaptable. As contexts and audiences change, your approach should also change. Being adaptable involves making those changes seamlessly, and keeping an open mind whenever possible.
-An ability to persuade. No matter the context, a person with effective people skills knows how to present a strong and convincing argument that can win over the customer or audience.
