What Exactly is Social Awareness?

When you're socially aware, you understand how to appropriately react in various social situations. You also understand other people's concerns, needs, and emotions. You feel comfortable in social situations and can pick up on social cues.

If you aren't as skilled at social awareness as you'd like to be, relax. Like any skill, it can be learned. In fact, this is a skill that can continue to evolve over time.

Here are some tips to help you to improve your social awareness:

Pinpoint the Problem

First, you need to consider what types of situations that make you uncomfortable. Figure out why that is and try to conquer it. Then, practice ways to adjust your behavior to make the best of those situations.

Next, think about what other people may say or do that make you respond in a negative way. Then understand that while you won't be able to change that person, you can make the best of those encounters by adjusting your own reaction.

It's also really helpful to get candid feedback from others about how you interact with them. If you really want to improve, you'll accept the constructive criticism without getting defensive and use it to adjust your behavior.

Take Ownership of Your Behavior

When your behavior or words are insensitive or in the wrong, recognize it and apologize. Everybody has a misstep, and people will appreciate your sincere desire to correct a situation when you do.

Learn to genuinely listen when someone is speaking to you. Interrupting them or being distracted is simply rude. But really listening is a valuable skill that everyone appreciates. Think about how you feel when you're trying to talk and what kind of interaction you expect from the listener. Give what you would like to receive.

Develop an awareness of your body language, which communicates far more than your words do. If needed, brush up on the basics of body language. This will help you better understand the message your own is conveying. That way, you'll learn how to adjust it to improve how you interact with others.

Improving social awareness isn't going to happen overnight. As with anything, it's a process. But with dedication and consistent effort, you'll see success.