Every office, every building, everywhere you go, you see people who are just difficult to get on with. They can be obnoxious, rude, inconsiderate, or just plain clumsy. They may even be brilliant at what they do, but you just know that when it comes to socializing and interacting with people. They are terrible at it and you usually avoid these people whenever possible. Emotional intelligence, social graces, friendliness are just some of the things these people lack. These things are known as “soft skills” and we all need them, otherwise we could end up as social outcasts or as ‘that weird guy’ who nobody wants to deal with.

　　每一间办公室，每一栋大楼，你所到之处都会发现有人难以融入他们所处的环境。他们要么惹人讨厌、粗鲁无礼，要么不为他人着想，或者笨手笨脚。他们也许在自己的专业方面很优秀，但在社会人际交往方面就完全不行。他们在社交方面一塌糊涂，人们都尽可能避免和这类人打交道。情商、社会礼仪、亲切感正是这类人所缺乏的。这些要素被称为“软技能”，我们都需要它们，否则我们就可能被社会排挤，或者变成人人避而远之的“怪人”。

　　To better improve your “soft skills”, here are 20 tips you can follow:

　　想要加强你的软技能，可以试试下面这20条小贴士：

　　1. How to remember people’s names, faces, or places. If you can remember at least one of these, you’re heading in the right direction.

　　知道如何记住他人的姓名、长相和工作地点。如果你能至少记住其中一项，你已经找对方向了。

　　2. Opening successive doors for people. (It takes finesse if you’re doing it for multiple and consecutive sets of doors — and you have multiple people.)

　　帮他人打开几扇连续的门。(如果是很多扇连在一起的门，而且同时有多个人通过，是需要策略的。)

　　3. Keeping in contact with your relationships. A great way to hone your soft skills and maintain relationships.

　　和你的人际圈里保持联系。这是提升软技能并保持人际关系的好办法。

　　4. Learn to be a better listener. Don’t interrupt people, don’t try to control the conversation, and show genuine interest in what people are saying.

　　学会做一名更好的倾听者。不要打断他人的说话，不要试图掌控一场谈话，要对他人所讲的事情表现出真诚的兴趣。

　　5. Offer people something to drink and eat when they enter your home.

　　当有人来你家做客时，准备食物饮料招待他们。

　　6. Learn how to make fast healthy snacks for your visitors.

　　学习为你的访客快速制作健康的小点心。

　　7. The Elevator Rule. Let others out first. This also applies to “non-elevator” situations as well, such as on buses, boats, and trains.

　　电梯法则——让他人先出去。这在“非电梯”情况下也同样适用，比如在汽车、船只或者火车上。

　　8. Practice writing emails to be short, respectful, and to the point. No one wants to read an essay in email format.

　　练习写作电子邮件，做到简单明了且有礼貌。没有人想读一封像散文一样的电子邮件。

　　9. Being discreet when giving tips to relevant service professionals. No one should see the money. This takes some finesse.

　　在给相关服务人士小费时要注意，不要让其他人看到你给了多少钱。这需要一些技巧。

　　10. Cell phone manners. No one wants to hear your conversation in public transport. It’s supposed to be a private conversation, not a public broadcast.

　　手机礼仪。没有人想在乘坐公共交通工具时听到你的谈话。这应该是私人谈话，而不是公共广播。

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