151 Quick Ideas to Improve Your People Skills

71

Don’t Be Reactive

Reactive people make us all nervous. And, frankly, if you’re reactive, you know it. Either you’re the guy who is pretty even-keel until someone pushes your hot buttons, or you’re the guy who is always on edge, interpreting everything as an opportunity to blow.

First know that your reactive nature is driven by fear and self-doubt—particularly low self-confidence. However, you can start to get it back on track with three emergency techniques found in ideas 128, 131, and 141. These three must be used in combination, by (1) keeping your thoughts in check (Idea 128), (2) keeping your tongue in check (Idea 131), and (3) learning to ask questions to understand (Idea 141). This last step helps you keep egg off your face—something ...