#people skills

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: 15 Essential Business Skills Everyone Should Master

Articulate, confident communication

Crafting effective, compelling pitches

Operating and communicating through a solution-oriented framework

Research of all types (Google, market research, studies, polls, interpersonal conversations, etc.)

Learning how to streamline, edit, and organize information in a clear and logical way

Accumulating high-level working knowledge/proficiency in all tools and programs directly related to your type of work/industry

Budgeting and financial optimization (investment, tax benefits, etc.)

Reading and interpreting legal contracts/documents

Setting rates, boundaries, and learning when/how to delegate

Good posture, direct eye contact, and a firm handshake

Building streamlined systems for onboarding, different repeat project scopes/workflows, and KPI measuring

The art of following up, listening to (potential) clients' needs, asking thoughtful questions, and benefit-oriented salesmanship

Consistently reading, learning, and studying current events/cultural platforms/industry and field-related knowledge

How to spot customer/client/business partner red flags

Self-management, task/project prioritization, and optimization of your personal energy clock + levels

[pratchettquotes]

Windle realized that talking to Mr. Shoe was very much like talking to the Archchancellor. It didn't actually matter what you said, because he wasn't listening. Only in Mustrum Ridcully's case it was because he just wasn't bothering, while Reg Shoe was in fact supplying your side of the conversation somewhere inside his own head.

Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

[girlwithrituals]

4 WEBSITES TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS

1. ImproveYourSocialSkills.com- A comprehensive guide to social skills.

2. SociableIntrovert.com- Use your introverted and extroverted traits together.

3. SocialProNow.com - Find out exactly how to get the friends you want.

4. PeopleSkillsDecoded.com - Develop your conversation style around your natural strengths.

[he13na]

When I was in college, there were actually critical thinking literary courses that were mandatory for an English degree. I guess they don't offer those anymore, because society seems to have abandoned any capability of critical thinking. Courses like that used to be a cornerstone of education, helping people learn to engage with literature and media on a deeper level, ask hard questions, and unpack complex themes. Critical thinking in literature isn’t just about analyzing a text; it’s about learning to see nuance, to interpret context, and to understand that stories are often full of layers, contradictions, and uncomfortable truths. Those courses taught people how to read, not just for plot but for meaning, intention, and emotional depth.

Sadly, it feels like there’s less emphasis on that kind of analysis these days. With so much information coming at us so quickly on social media, people seem more inclined to skim and react than to actually dig in and reflect. Instead of learning to interpret and engage thoughtfully, it’s as if we’re in a culture of snap judgments where something is either “good” or “bad,” “safe” or “dangerous.”

The loss of those critical thinking skills has led to a world where complex stories are simplified, controversial themes are sanitized, and characters’ motives are flattened out because there’s this fear of misinterpretation or offense. Without critical thinking, people often miss the richness of a story like Summer of My German Soldier, overlooking the layers of trauma, love, resilience, and humanity because they’re too focused on surface-level judgments.

And let’s be real—these courses weren’t just about reading books. They were about life skills, teaching people to think beyond binary perspectives, to ask why and how instead of just what. When we lose that, we lose the ability to appreciate the complicated, messy nature of being human. We start avoiding stories that challenge us, and that’s exactly what leads to a society uncomfortable with any portrayal of emotions or relationships that don’t fit into a neat, comfortable box.

So, yeah, it’s a shame. Critical thinking courses in literature were a gift. They encouraged people to sit with discomfort, to explore moral ambiguity, and to understand that art reflects the full spectrum of human experience—including the parts that aren’t easy to define. It’s exactly those skills that help us see stories for what they are: messy, meaningful, and, ultimately, true to life.

[princessheatherblossom]

I wish we did not have to develop such a skill

[lilithsaintcrow]

"I don't tell the team everything that I think they're doing wrong. I don't show up at retro with all the stuff I think they need to change. I just watch, and listen, and I write down everything that seems deeply weird."

[sotwk]

I really need to know how to say no to people but I just can't do it. And I know they're being forward and taking advantage of me but still I suffer the inconvenience rather than saying no sorry I can't

This evening a woman that I barely know told me I was doing this thing for her. She just said your doing this, she didn't even ask. And this is going to inconvenience me for three days!

This is the first chance I've got off work in a while and I had planned out some things I needed to get done and had already made an obligation to something else which I will now have to cancel

(Not to mention the fact that I barely and I mean barely know this lady, I met her a few weeks ago she just came up to me and started talking to me, the only thing I know about her is her first name)

Dear Anon,

It has taken me too long to get to this ask; I'm very sorry for overlooking it in my box! I don't know if you follow me or when you'll see this response, but I hope it helped you a little just to vent your frustrations. I also hope your interactions (or avoidance, hopefully?) of this Bossy Lady has gone well since you sent this ask (in October, yikes--bad Sotwk!)

I'm really bad at saying "No" to people too--especially to strangers or people I don't know well. That's just how it is! My husband would surely chime in and point out that I seem to have no problem saying "No" to him, but--sorry honey--that's because the people who know and love you best are "safe" and would understand. They would love you regardless of how many times you deny them.

When strangers ask us for stuff, our anxiety and/or social fears kick in and we feel we MUST agree or risk being judged/ostracized. I think all of us non-confrontational people-pleasers struggle with this. Then the aggressive personalities take advantage of us.

Anyway, I'm not sure you asked for or needed advice on this, but the best I've got is that saying "No" takes practice! Once you've formulated the proper, polite, autopilot response to it (it can and should be as short as "No, I can't do that--sorry."), you can start using it whenever you feel brave enough to. I think it gets easier with constant use, and you realize that nothing disastrous happens when you set boundaries. Worst outcome is, you get rid of those pushy people in your life and that's not necessarily a bad thing, is it?

I wish you well and I hope you're having a great start to the New Year! <3

(I love Ron Swanson (from Parks and Recreation) so much. He's the Master at not giving a *toot* about what others think.)

[tears-that-heal]

To my fellow artists........

It's super easy to fall into comparing yourself & your artistic skills to other artists. Since the internet was created and opened public contact to the rest of the world, like social media. We're now comparing ourselves to all the artists in the world. Discouragement and self-doubt in ourselves are evermore in danger of paralysis-ing us from moving forward in our creativity.

It is a battle. Comparison in any form will break down your self-confidence. There'll always be someone "better" than you, and someone not as skilled as you. This is honestly a fact on life. I still catch myself scrolling on instagram seeing other artist's artwork. It can make anyone feel not good enough, but I know I have the choice to not allow myself to put my own self down. My goal is not to strive for Perfection, but Excellence! It is to do my very best in creating own my artwork, and so much more. Perfection is simply a subjective illusion that's unachievable in the long run.

I once lived in a big city in Silicone Valley California, to now residing in a small West Texas rural town and I couldn't be happier. Here I have little to no need to make an artist reputation on social media. I'm being seen as myself and my artistic skills are being highly appreciated. You can saw I've been a rarity that's finally being valued for what's it worth. The point is I found my audience, my niche. Once you're able to find that for yourself as a working artist, than that too will help prevent you from comparing yourself to other artists as well. It'll also allow you to thrive in your artistic craft. The challenging part is to physically step outside and meet people. There might be an artist community in your own area that you didn't know about. Don't rely on the internet thinking it'll give you all the answers you seek. I've totally been there. I'm a true introvert to my core, but I had learn and refine my people skills to successfully live in the world. Yes, it's hard, but it's beyond worth the time and effort. Now a days, people think I'm completely joking when I say I'm an introvert. I guess my people and communication skills have become that good. Lol ;)

[dustedmagazine]

People Skills — Hum of the Non-Engine (Digital Regress)

Hum Of The Non-Engine by People Skills

Philadelphia likes its music noisy.Bardo Pond kicked off a wave of fuzz, grime, and mixed fidelity is hazy in the early 1990s.Philly heads like Tom Lax with his Siltbreeze label champion the out-rock chaos and broken signals emanating from the “cradle of liberty.”Lax and others have sussed out most of the city’s sonic sewer dwellers including Jesse Dewlow, who records solo as People Skills.Dewlow is unique in the Philly scene in that he comes across as a downtrodden recluse, content to coax a molasses-thick gloom cocktail from his damaged implements.He’s not rockin’ out; he’s wading through a knee-deep murk.Unsure of his destination Dewlow is concentrating on the voyage, putting one unsure foot in front of the other and wending his way.

People Skills’ closest contemporary analog sound-wise is the Californian duo German Army.Both projects are relatively enigmatic.Not many people know who is behind GA, and it’s almost impossible to find a photo of Jesse Dewlow online.They also employ similar palettes: guitars, an almost monotone vocal, broken synths and samples.The primary difference is that Dewlow seems to draw influence from Gate and The Shadow Ring, whereas GA are acolytes of Throbbing Gristle and early Nocturnal Emissions.Dewlow’s oeuvre is more experimental tinkerer than it is proto-industrial stoic.

Dewlow’s Siltbreeze LP Tricephalic Head arrived in 2014 and was straightforward and song-oriented in nature as far as People Skills material goes.Subsequent releases spanned the spectrum between morose bedroom incantations and noisy, ramshackle Rube Goldberg constructions.Hum of the Non-Engine is a grab bag of these modalities, the best of all Dewlow’s personalities.There are both highly conceptual mood pieces and mutant pop gems on display.“The Library Is on Fire” is an example of the more outré side of People Skills, its intertwined layers of gurgling synths and detuned strings drifting artfully and with an off-kilter stride.Dewlow flips the script and becomes a songsmith on “Flag for Gravity.”Complete with a lumbering drum machine rhythm, the song wouldn’t be out of place on a slowcore band’s demo tape.

The short noise piece “Oval House” leads into the haunting “Thinking Back Through our Mothers,” a gloomy electroacoustic construction.Barely heard conversations bleed into an unsettling moan that feels rather uncanny when paired with the pretty melody that Dewlow layers on top.A Sentridoh-esque ditty closes out the first side of the LP, and on the flip Dewlow continues exploring the many facets of lo-fi bedroom spirit-summoning.The mood appears to lighten, which is relative when discussing People Skills’ music, but the tempo remains leisurely throughout the remainder of the album.Dewlow masterfully balances alien atmospheres with recognizable signifiers and dispatches these strange missives at a pace that makes Hum of the Non-Engine a captivating listen.His Philly noise is delivered slowly, one moody piece at a time.

Bryon Hayes

[cassiocantdrink]

new adulting skill unlocked: fortunately, not many people understand yet that "i hear you" really means "fuck you sideways". i've just had a conversation with a Mildly Unpleasant Lady who was furious at me for not telling her that i'd given her work! phone! number! to my estate agent (and tania the bulldozer had had the audacity to call her without a proper introduction. PFFFT). so yeah, a few of "i hear you"s and a few of "i understand"s gave her the impression that i was seriously apologetic when in reality i was about to throttle her for being unreasonable AND incompetent. niiiice. especially since i'll need a working relationship with her for the next few months, and then, hopefully, she'll be someone else's problem.

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: Tips To Become More Emotionally Intelligent

Embrace self-awareness & self-reflection: Observe how you feel, behave, and how people generally respond to your words/actions in different situations

Practice self-regulation: Learn to differentiate between your feelings and the actions that would be appropriate in a specific setting or interaction. Internalize that feelings are fleeting and non-factual. You're in control of how you respond/(don't) act on these emotions

Engage in active listening: Pay attention to what others are saying with the intent of understanding, not responding

Focus on emotional differentiation: Understand where your thoughts, feelings, intentions, and opinions end and another person's identity/perception begins

Display radical empathy and acceptance: Understand that almost all people's words and actions result from their own beliefs, past experiences, and current life circumstances/priorities. Put yourself in their shoes when attempting to understand their choices, behaviors, and times they come to you to discuss a problem, success, or major life decision. Accept that you can only control what you do. Very little of other people's actions/the world's workings are personal. Things are happening around you, not to you

Let go of your ego: View yourself as objectively as possible with the potential for improvement. Abolish any superior complex or overwhelming desire to prove your self-importance in others' lives and decisions

Remain open-minded: Question your own beliefs and opinions. Stay curious as to why you believe them to be true/authentic to you. Allow your opinions to change or have the capacity to modify your beliefs upon hearing new information. Understand your worldview and values are valid, but they're not definitively correct beliefs, just because they resonate/feel comfortable for you

Be receptive to feedback: Embrace constructive criticism as a self-improvement tool. Approach it with curiosity and optimism, not as a personal attack

Differentiate between your feelings and capabilities: Your thoughts are not facts. Remember you can do things you don't feel like doing most of the time (work, waking up in the morning, working out, etc.). Learn the difference between being a slave to your emotions and genuinely running out of energy

[pratchettquotes]

She wished, oh, how she wished, to be like Nanny Ogg, who understood things and knew how to hammer silence into laughter.

Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight

[screwlowes]

That feeling when you're surrounded by people you're not sure actually like you and you say something random and basic and they get like obsessed and start kinda laughing like you missed a joke but they're still being nice so you really can't tell if they're being nice or not...

[filmcourage]

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became A Writer - Niceole R. Levy

[roses-red-and-pink]

Last years goals were all about building skills (which I did!)

This years goals will be about building personality

[lazymcfail]

has it always been that only like 20% of people actually know how to do their jobs or is that a new thing post covid?

when you call your ISP and the person on the phone doesn't understand WiFi and why a 2.4GHz channel is needed for smart devices

or when you call the bank and they don't understand if something is pending, posted, or refunded

or when the grocery store employees don't know where the spices are located in the store

truly wondering like, has it been like this always? did you always have to fight tooth and nail for hours of your day to get a straight answer to a (seemingly simple) problem?