How To Have Sharp Social Awareness

How To Have Sharp Social Awareness

Social awareness is one of the critical components of emotional intelligence. So many employers are looking for candidates with strong emotional intelligence. When you have sharp social awareness, you will not only be able to communicate at a higher level, but you will also make yourself more employable.

Social awareness at its core is the ability to understand what someone else is feeling. Social awareness takes into consideration the other person.

Below are three ways you can boost your social awareness.

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When you have sharp social awareness, you understand how to act and react in different social situations. These situations can be at work, in a meeting, at a networking event, or during an interview. The more you can quickly understand what is happening and how you should respond, the more confident you will be.

 

1. Active Listening

Actively listening will help you know how to react in a social situation. This is because listening gives you clues about what the other person or people are feeling. When you understand what others are feeling, you can more appropriately respond to the situation.

Consider the following:

• Don't Assume - Assuming you know what someone will say or how they are feeling is a mistake you will want to avoid. Instead, pause, and really listen to what they are communicating to you. For example, if your boss calls you into their office, don't assume it is because you've done something wrong. If you assume this, you may enter the room looking defensive and defeated. This body language will be confusing to your boss. You don't know what your boss is going to say. When you keep an open mind and listen, you will be much more prepared to react.
• Repeat back - Part of actively listening is to repeat back what you've heard to ensure you have accurately received the intent of the other person's message. For example, you can repeat back by saying, "What I heard you say is the deadline for this new project is too close to the deadline for our ongoing project and will make it difficult for them both to be completed on time. Is this correct?" When you repeat back, you give the other person the chance to correct your interpretation of what was said. Repeating back will also help you respond to what you've heard appropriately.
• Mirror - When you are listening to someone, you need to mirror the tone and body language of the other person. For example, if the other person is speaking about a serious situation, you wouldn't smile and laugh; you might narrow your eyes and furrow your brow. You also would take a more serious tone when responding. Mirroring, when appropriate, builds a connection and helps you understand what the other person is trying to communicate.

Listening will help you appropriately respond to others, which sharpens your social awareness.

 

2. Body Language

Your body language sends a message to others, whether you realize it or not. When you have sharp social awareness, you can recognize someone else's body language and determine what message they are trying to send. Picking up on subtle cues will help you know how to react to someone's body language.

Consider the following:

• Eye Movements -  Pay close attention to the eye movements you are making and those of the people with whom you are speaking. For example, one way to show sincerity is to make good eye contact with them. However, if you look away or down, it can make you look unsure or insecure.  Conversely, if you notice someone isn't looking you in the eyes and becomes disengaged, you will want to address this. Your message may not resonate with your audience, and when you have sharp social awareness, you will be able to recognize this right away.
• Facial Expressions - Often, what someone says and their facial expressions send two different messages. Being aware of what someone's expressions say will help you react more appropriately. For example, if you ask a co-worker to help you move some boxes and they say sure, but then wince as they get up from their chair, you will want to pay attention to their wince. They said yes, but their facial expression showed they might be in pain. Being aware of facial expressions will give you subtle clues to what someone else is thinking or feeling.
•  Posture - People's posture can also tell you how they think or feel. For example, if you notice the person you are speaking with has hunched shoulders and is slouching, they may not be in the best mindset to hear something serious. Or, if you notice the person's shoulders creeping up, this may indicate they are nervous. You will want to be mindful of how they feel as you speak.

Your body language can speak volumes. When you have sharp social awareness, you can pick up on subtle body language cues to help you tailor your message.

 

3. Observe 

Having sharp social awareness really comes down to your ability to observe. Observe how others speak as well as their body language. And taking into consideration your surroundings. 

Consider the following:

• Read The Room - Have you ever heard the phrase "Read The Room?" This phrase is speaking to social awareness. It means recognizing what is happening around you and responding appropriately. For example, there has just been a big round of layoffs in your department. People are packing up their things and saying goodbye. This moment is very heavy for everyone in the department. Knowing this, it would not be a good time for you to go to your superior and ask for a raise or promotion. "Reading the room" will help you react appropriately.
• Remember Details - Being socially aware means you can remember details. For example, if you know your co-worker's dog recently passed away, you wouldn't ask how their dog was doing the following week. Forgetting your co-worker's pet passed away by asking about it would make your co-worker feel like you don't care about them or their lives. When you are socially aware, you remember details to help you respond appropriately.

• Take A Beat - Before you respond, it is always good to take a beat. In other words, take a moment to take in everything being communicated to you. For example, scan the room if you are entering a networking room. Look to see what the mood is. Are people laughing? Or are people more serious? Taking a moment to take in your surroundings and think about what is being communicated to you, will help prepare you to respond appropriately.

Observing is a great way to help you understand what is happening around you and the people you are interacting with.

Social awareness is key to emotional intelligence. The more socially aware you are, the more confident you will be when responding and interacting with others.

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