Social Competence and Intelligence

What are social skills and social intelligence?

Social competence is a significant aspect of emotional intelligence. This term refers primarily to the ability of interpersonal relationships, whether it be verbal or nonverbal, constructive, and make all parties satisfactory. The foundation of social skills certainly forms the so-called social intelligence.

The intelligence researcher Edward L. Thorndike defined social intelligence early the 1920s as "the ability to understand and to act wisely in human relations with others." Social intelligence is thus the sensitivity, moods, motives and intentions of other people and to be able to process these human-creative and to react in the right manner. Social intelligence can be regarded as inter-personal or interpersonal intelligence, making it a kind of fuel for your networking.

This gift can also implement the ability of social competence in everyday life. Especially in the ever-evolving services and information society it represents an increasingly important focal point, as the person becomes increasingly a central economic product.

Social competence includes the following capabilities:

Empathy: recognize problems and feelings and take account of others; realistic assessment of the effect of oneself towards others.

Contact capacity: ability go to other people who show willingness to communicate; allow others to participate in discussions; openness regarding own aims, objectives and methods; trustworthy and helpful dealings with others.

Cooperation skills: picking up and continuing the ideas of others, does not distinguish itself at the expense of others, to share their own success with others; waiver of rivalry, power interests and rivalry.

Integration Assets: identify causes of conflict and seek acceptable solutions for all parties involved; target different interests, "channeling", without neglecting their own concepts.

Information ready: sharing information with others, not holding back important information, listen and have time to talk.

Self-discipline / frustration tolerance: respond to personal attacks not too aggressive, do not provoke others and do not be provoked by them, stay predictable in your mood.