Becky Berry and Diana Bader discuss four areas of where social thinking makes a big impact: school, work, social gatherings, and online, and talk about you can make the best impression on people.
Social thinking involves paying attention to your environment and the people in the environment. It determines how you react to what is happening in your environment.Be uniform across all the areas you are, or would like to be social (school, work, with other people, online).Learn to evaluate the rules for the environment you are in at the moment.When working within groups be aware of how you represent yourself.Within groups, pay attention and learn to interpret the group dynamics by using your social thinking.If you have questions about how to act in certain social situations, ask someone you trust, or look online.Make a habit of thinking socially because you will be always be dealing with people.Understand the give and take of conversations and meetings.Validation allows people to feel heard.How are you presenting yourself to others?Work buddies are a valuable resource. Someone who can coach you or you can model your behavior on.In an interview, remember it is as much about you finding the company that is the right fit as it is the company finding a right fit.When attempting small talk, look around for clues to engage the person you want to talk to.Let people know you see them, that they matter. Notice them.Use your strengths in gatherings. Extroverts start a conversation, introverts find the most comfortable energy.Are you frustrated in social situations? Have trouble containing your reactions? Find the most “chill’’ person in the room and mimic their behavior (in a good way).If you are the most “chill” person, be aware of situations you can diffuse.Your online presence increasingly gives people their first impression of you – for interviews, in social situations, in life in general.People will Google you before they look at your resume or see you for an interview.Always show the best version of you online.Highlight your qualities based on the platform – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, SnapChat.Noticing. Constantly notice your environment and the people in it to experience the best social interactions.