Honing People Skills

tips on mastering the art of connection and elevating your people skills

I’m under one of those warm, bulbous hair dryers, my hair laden with foil, balayage painted throughout, a little black timer counting down as warm hues of caramel melt into what will become my lighter mane. Haircuts and color are a sport around here—each stylist’s chair turns over client after client, and for the colorists, three clients are being seen at once. Notable celebrities, veteran celebrity hairstylists, and 20-something assistants buzz about as I indulge in my favorite activity: people-watching.

One thing I’m noticing that almost everyone working here has in common? People skills. But not just regular people skills; I’m talking excellent, outgoing, talkative, warm, energized, and extremely sociable interpersonal skills. Is this a prerequisite to succeeding in this industry? The longer I sit here, the more confident I become that, yes, yes, it is—a skill that, in today’s world, where being good at your craft combined with an online following can lead to stardom.

As someone who is naturally shy, I always find myself studying super extroverts, and having sat here for a few hours, here are some of my notes (which I’ll be taking to holiday parties this season!).