Comments on: How to be Charismatic Using Improv Techniques (Part 1 of 2) http://www.galvanizd.com/2008/11/27/how-to-be-charismatic-using-improv-part-1-of-2/ Helping cultivate Charisma, Leadership & Self Improvement for Students Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:16:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jessica http://www.galvanizd.com/2008/11/27/how-to-be-charismatic-using-improv-part-1-of-2/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Jessica Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:31:50 +0000 http://www.galvanizd.com/?p=101#comment-90 Well, I'm not sure that a sink or swim environment is that helpful for people who are very shy. If someone is struggling with social skills, they need to feel comfortable enough to break through that. There are lots of retail jobs that aren't cut throat competitive. Like the bookstore, for example. There isn't pressure to sell X-number of books, but there is lots of helping people find books and giving advice on books. Other conversations (like the examples that you gave) can spring from there when they are comfortable enough. I might write a similar blog entry, inspired by your post! It will be fun to read different perspectives on the same topic. :mrgreen: Well, I’m not sure that a sink or swim environment is that helpful for people who are very shy. If someone is struggling with social skills, they need to feel comfortable enough to break through that. There are lots of retail jobs that aren’t cut throat competitive. Like the bookstore, for example. There isn’t pressure to sell X-number of books, but there is lots of helping people find books and giving advice on books. Other conversations (like the examples that you gave) can spring from there when they are comfortable enough.

I might write a similar blog entry, inspired by your post! It will be fun to read different perspectives on the same topic. :mrgreen:

]]> By: Will http://www.galvanizd.com/2008/11/27/how-to-be-charismatic-using-improv-part-1-of-2/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Will Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:12:43 +0000 http://www.galvanizd.com/?p=101#comment-89 Hey Jess! Great points. Of course, that will work too - perhaps that will be my inspiration writing a post on "How to Improve your Social Skills while on the job - and get paid for it too!" :) I agree that taking on a job that will force you to improve your soft skills would work. You learn on the job where you're forced to improve and pump out the sales or you don't. Sink or swim and at the same time learn. Hey Jess!

Great points. Of course, that will work too – perhaps that will be my inspiration writing a post on “How to Improve your Social Skills while on the job – and get paid for it too!” :)

I agree that taking on a job that will force you to improve your soft skills would work. You learn on the job where you’re forced to improve and pump out the sales or you don’t. Sink or swim and at the same time learn.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.galvanizd.com/2008/11/27/how-to-be-charismatic-using-improv-part-1-of-2/comment-page-1/#comment-88 Jessica Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:08:04 +0000 http://www.galvanizd.com/?p=101#comment-88 Hey Will. I found that when I was wanting to learn how to communicate better and more comfortably, I learned it through seeking out and working at sales jobs. It's purposeful and therefore adds some structure to the plight. And what better way to learn social skills than to actually do it for a whole shift and then to get paid for it? Instead of approaching a stranger at a bookstore, why not *work* in a bookstore and have helping strangers and talking to strangers as your job? You will find that speaking and approaching people comes a lot easier in your personal life when it is also your job to do it. I look to retail jobs as reinforcement of social skills and monetary compensation rolled in one! Taking those skills to a cocktail party is okay too. Hey Will.

I found that when I was wanting to learn how to communicate better and more comfortably, I learned it through seeking out and working at sales jobs.

It’s purposeful and therefore adds some structure to the plight. And what better way to learn social skills than to actually do it for a whole shift and then to get paid for it?

Instead of approaching a stranger at a bookstore, why not *work* in a bookstore and have helping strangers and talking to strangers as your job? You will find that speaking and approaching people comes a lot easier in your personal life when it is also your job to do it.

I look to retail jobs as reinforcement of social skills and monetary compensation rolled in one! Taking those skills to a cocktail party is okay too.

]]>