Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

If you got 'em, the world is yours. Makes life easy and things just seem to come to you.

If you don't?

How does one acquire people skills if you don't have a good grasp of them? I think teaching in Mexico requires a good head for the nuances of navigating the social tapestry...perhaps more so in some teaching situations than others. But what do you do if you're lacking in the department? Is there a way to learn? Or is it not even an issue?

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

I think the key is to treat people as you would like to be treated yourself. I don't know if you mean specifically managing students or staff or both, but we have all been both sides of the table and know what we have seen that is good and bad in the people we have worked with. It is nigh-on impossible to get it right all the time, but a bit of common decency and courtesy, together with an understanding of how other people feel, goes a long way. In a foreign country, as you say, it is important to understand cultural differences.

I am a firm believer that management is something that is learned from experience, not from some business school. Come to think of it, I feel that way about education in general. so why am I in this business at all? Very Happy

MELEE · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject:

I've met a few teachers over the years who were just ment to be in a cubicle somewhere. I've always wondered why they got into the profession.

Can people skills be taught? I don't know. I love talking to people, and actually I prefer talking to strangers than to people I know Laughing

I would like to think that people can learn to be better people people.
Even if it doesn't come naturally to them.

MO39 · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:25 pm Post subject:

When I was young, I didn't have good people skills - I was very shy and unsure of myself around other people, probably because I was insecure with myself. Now most days I feel comfortable with those I meet and teach and work with because I like myself (most days!) and am comfortable with who I am.

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

notamiss · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:23 am Post subject:

OK, then can we say treat people as they ought to treat themselves?

I think wildchild's point (and even if it wasn't, it's a point that should be made) is that some aspects of how we would like to be treated are shaped by our culture, and when we're operating in a different culture, some behaviour that we consider polite isn't necessarily polite in that other culture.