How By Being a People Person Can Affect Your Team and Product
When working on product development, it is common to be assigned to a team and collaborate with others in order to achieve the best possible outcome. It is crucial to prioritize being helpful and avoiding obstructing others, since teamwork is always essential in any situation. In some cases, we may encounter team members who are particularly beneficial to work with and whom we enjoy being around. These individuals typically exhibit similar behaviors, and are referred to as “people person.”
A people person is someone who enjoys being around others, has good communication skills, and is able to relate to different types of people. They are often described as friendly, approachable, and empathetic, and are skilled at building relationships with others.
People persons tend to thrive in social situations, enjoy working with others, and are able to create positive interactions that make people feel comfortable and valued. They are often sought out as team members, leaders, and mentors because of their ability to connect with others and build strong, supportive relationships.
It all sounds really good right? But how can we be a people person in real life?
Becoming Your Own Version of People Person
Although being social is not necessarily a formal requirement in many jobs, the benefits of developing interpersonal skills are significant (and could impact your team and product). Professionals should be encouraged to engage in conversation at their own pace and should focus on building trusting relationships to create a more positive work environment with minimal conflict.
Here’s how:
It’s important to pay attention to the small details about your colleagues, such as their pets’ names, current reading or shows, and use that knowledge to demonstrate that you care about them as individuals, not just as coworkers.
Being true to oneself is also important. Sharing vulnerabilities is a sign of strength, but it should be done on one’s own terms in a healthy and honest way. By sharing stories and experiences, colleagues can build trust and create an environment where it’s acceptable to be vulnerable.
It’s important to radiate positivity, too, by being aware of facial expressions and complimenting others on things that are interesting or unique. A little positivity can go a long way in building relationships.
Empathy is more effective than sympathy, so it’s important to step into someone else’s shoes and understand their perspective. When assigning tasks to teammates, it’s better to ask if they’re available or willing to take on additional responsibilities than to assume they can or will do it.
Finally, finding inspiring people to watch and learn from, such as Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., or even your favorite character from a movie, like Elle Woods (what, like it’s hard?), can be helpful in adapting and refining one’s own gestures and techniques.
With all of these how-tos of being a people person, the most important thing is always be yourself. It is nice to get out of your way to approach people and make efforts, but it is also crucial to not overstep the boundaries and scare them. Remember, you want to befriend them, not scare the hell out of them.
The Importance of Being a People Person
Being a people person can have a positive impact on the team and the product. When working with others, a people person can build stronger relationships with team members, which can lead to better collaboration and more effective communication. This can result in a more cohesive and productive team that works well together and is better able to achieve its goals.
In addition, a people person can bring a positive energy to the workplace and inspire others to do their best work. They are often skilled at motivating and encouraging team members, which can lead to greater engagement and a higher level of commitment to the project or company.
Furthermore, a people person can help to create a positive company culture that is focused on teamwork, collaboration, and innovation. By creating an environment where people feel valued and respected, team members are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to the project or company’s goals.
Do Not Limit Yourself Just Because You Are an Introvert!
If you’re an introvert and want to become more of a people person, there are several things you can do to improve your interpersonal skills and become more comfortable in social situations.
You can first work on building your confidence. This can be done by practicing speaking up in group settings, setting small social goals for yourself, and celebrating your successes. It’s important to remember that becoming a people person is a process and not something that happens overnight.
You can also focus on active listening and asking questions. This allows you to engage with others without feeling like you have to dominate the conversation. By showing a genuine interest in others, you can build rapport and develop stronger relationships.
You can take small steps to step outside of your comfort zone. This might involve attending social events, introducing yourself to new people, or volunteering for team activities. Start with small steps and gradually work your way up to more challenging situations.
Lastly, remember that being a people person doesn’t necessarily mean being an extrovert.
You can still be true to your introverted nature while also developing strong interpersonal skills. Focus on finding your own style of communication and socializing that works for you.
My Personal Take of People Person Approach
The people person approach can be implemented in a team and for your own benefit. Here are some tips I applied while working with my team and worked:
- Create opportunities for relationship-building by having regular team-building activities, such as team lunches and social events. Because we often meet online, when we are not busy, we often times hang out in Discord for casual talk or to gain insights from each other regarding the project.
When we do have the time to hang out in real life though, we try to gather in full team and try to make a connection by having a meal together and playing games. The good ol’ Heads Up (or charades) can never go wrong!
- Foster a positive work environment by expressing gratitude and giving compliments to each other. For example, they would publicly recognize team members who had gone above and beyond in their work.
- Promote empathy and understanding by encouraging team members to step into each other’s shoes and try to understand each other’s perspectives. For example, they would have team members present their work to the rest of the team and ask for feedback and suggestions.
- Develop their communication skills by using clear and concise language and being open to feedback. They also provided constructive feedback to each other in a respectful and constructive manner. At the end of a sprint, our team usually assembled a Sprint Retrospective to give feedbacks to each other and write down all the things we could improve in the next sprint and what could we have done better. Through this open communication, we can recognize all the things that we could have missed and straighten out all miscommunications that we had so that in the future, we could do better.
During this Sprint Retro, I gained valuable insights into the actions I should undertake to enhance not only my own performance but also the overall effectiveness of our team. One area where I identified the need for improvement was my responsiveness in the group chat. Acknowledging this, I made a conscious effort to be more proactive and engaged in our team communication channels, ensuring that I promptly addressed queries, contributed to discussions, and provided timely feedback. By being more responsive in the group chat, I aimed to foster better collaboration, streamline information sharing, and enhance the overall efficiency of our team’s communication dynamics.
In addition to recognizing the importance of improving my responsiveness in the group chat during the Sprint Retro, I also received valuable suggestions regarding my level of activity in Trello, our project management tool. Realizing the significance of actively engaging with Trello to facilitate task tracking, collaboration, and overall project organization, I took those suggestions to heart and made a concerted effort to increase my involvement on the platform.
While I acknowledge that there is always room for improvement, I genuinely exerted my best efforts to be more active and engaged in the team’s communication, recognizing its significance as an important role that can decide our wellbeing.
As a result of implementing the people person approach, my team was able to improve our collaboration, communication, and empathy towards each other. This led to improved productivity and better quality work, resulting in meeting their project deadlines and overall success of the project.
