How to use psychology to strengthen your professional path

Serious work often involves regular business meetings. You can’t do without it. You communicate not only with colleagues and your boss, but also with customers, competitors, and representatives of service companies. Even a plumber cannot escape this fate — he needs to interact with people, influence them in order to negotiate a deal. If you want changes in the labor market and more favorable conditions, then you need to become a professional.

And professionalism also lies in the ability to “play a social game.” There are loopholes in any society that can help you improve your professional life, climb the career ladder, and generally take advantage of society’s benefits. You don’t need to become a goat for this. If you use the techniques we have collected, then the road to corporate paradise will open for you.

7 ways to use psychology to strengthen your professional path

1. Be a participant in the conversation

This means that you need to attend it. Don’t just stand next to a person, stare at the ceiling, and think about how you’ll spend the evening, but be present — that is, be a full participant in the conversation, feigning calm confidence. It starts with a simple handshake, which should be firm and friendly.

Body language is also crucial, as it should respond smoothly to your partner’s reaction. When you’re talking, pay attention to your stress level. Are you worried? Try to calm down, pull yourself together. Are your hands shaking? Try to stop this trembling, don’t look like a slob. In general, hand movements should be kept to a minimum. If you put them together, it will help you. And be sure to maintain eye contact — it’s important.

2. Generosity and loyalty

Never eat alone — this rule was known to every medieval serf and baron. A joint lunch strengthens trust and mutual understanding in the team, serves as a cement in the relationships of people with different interests. Well, really: what can completely different people have in common? Wine and bread—just like in the bad old days. Life has not changed much in these 2000 years. Bringing coffee to a colleague is an investment in the future. I gave myself a birthday present — another investment. You should not expect that the costs will return immediately.

Relationships between people are like muscles: they grow when you use them more often. And if a person is not generous, not helpful, and withdraws into himself, then he is doomed to go through life powerless. His behavior repels others. We don’t force you to give up your egocentrism. In front of: strengthen relationships with other people to gain loyalty — it’s in your best interest.

Dedication can take many forms: for example, in the form of emotional support when someone is going through a difficult time, or in the form of sacrificing one’s own time when it is necessary to help a person with problems that lie outside of professional life. An hour and a half of your time can completely turn the relationship around with a colleague. So try not to seek help from people you haven’t helped yourself.

3. Focusing on the other person

If someone suddenly asks you which type of communication will give the best result, then you will probably say that assertiveness and self-confidence will make everything as good as possible. But that’s not quite true. The raising of voices and the authoritarian attitude within a democratic society demonstrate impotence rather than strength.

Of course, it all depends on the team, but there is a reverse type of communication that focuses on soft questions and advice. Such communication involves focusing on the other person. For example, ask him for advice, and then ask a question. This way, you can influence him better than if you went ahead. When you show your interest in a person, they respect you. When you show that a person is an empty place for you, he sharpens his teeth.

4. Memorize names and expand your circle of acquaintances

When we skipped school and played third “Heroes” instead, we involuntarily remembered one of the most important truths in life — strategy above all. Building relationships with society, especially with the professional community, is a pure strategy that requires planning, thoughtful analysis, and a rational approach. There are several rules that everyone who wants to increase their effectiveness and influence should follow: — memorize people’s names and make sure that people remember your name; — do not lose contacts: write them down and leave the necessary notes; — use your new contact to find even more useful people; — don’t be afraid to provide a service and, in turn, ask for it.

5. The leader is an introvert

Extroverts and introverts prefer different types of interaction: Extroverts enjoy small talk, while introverts prefer a more detailed and in-depth conversation. Visit. A F R I N I K. C O M . For the full article. Networking for introverts usually consists of too many empty conversations that they cannot connect to.

But there is a way that even an introvert can use social interactions to their advantage. And this method sounds trite and very simple — focus on one-on-one conversations. Such conversations help to get to know a person from different angles, to understand their needs, goals, and problems. This is a great method: You will be able to understand how the other person thinks, whether he prefers to use abstract concepts or uses only a practical approach. In addition, a one-on-one conversation is much more open than a conversation in a large company, where everyone plays their role, wearing an improbable mask of their position.

6. Reconnecting

Imagine that you have just met the CEO of a company whose conference you attended. You had a pleasant and useful conversation, and the director even shared his contacts with you. You already feel like you’ve made a good acquaintance, but what’s next? It’s time to develop a relationship through additional communication. It’s easy to do this: for example, you can send an email thanking the person for a pleasant conversation and adding some information that will interest them.

If you think that such a strategy is tantamount to imposing yourself, then just imagine for a moment that it is customary in business circles to communicate this way. It’s called etiquette. People show respect to each other so that respect turns into help, money, and power. However, communication should not go one way; you can really get a reputation for living off the success of others.

7. A mixture of the private and the significant

There are thousands of tips on not mixing your life with work. Many families impose a taboo on discussing work within the walls of the house, as it is annoying. But business people who work 12 hours a day often live alone. They have no desire to hang out in the “real” world after such a hectic schedule. At the same time, informal communication outside of work is something that is important not only in everyday life but also in professional life.

So why not combine the joy of leisure with your business interests? Let’s say you had a meeting or a conference at work, and it ended, invite someone to dinner or to a bar. Even if you don’t communicate closely with a person. It is better, of course, to invite several guests at once, so that communication is not clamped down — four guests are enough. If you invite fewer people, there will be more “intimacy”, which sounds unhealthy in a male company. Too many people are also bad: everyone divides into small interest groups and talks about their own, with no benefit for you personally.