People Skills & Communication

The Carnegie Institute of Technology revealed that 85% of our success is based on our ability to deal with other people. How we interact with others is so important. And while we slip now and then, we need to stay positive and remember that all actions carry with them a reaction, especially online. (Think Karma.)

Sometimes we see people do things that are so negative and hurtful. Things that could've been avoided with a little communication. Several incidents this year have caused me to cringe at the lack of people skills.

An unpublished writer posted a very negative book review. That person stated the book was awful, but since it was sent for a review, HAD to finish it. The reviewer went beyond the book, though, and half of the review was an attack on the author as a person. I felt so bad reading it, I wanted to send the author an email saying how sorry I was for the personal slurs - and I didn’t even write it!

Life is too short to read a really bad book and most book bloggers will contact an author before posting a negative review. I doubt this person did that. But the personal attack was uncalled for and unprofessional. It told others this person might do the same to them. It really made the reviewer look bad, not the author. And what happens if this writer one day has a book?

Another person became upset when a review copy wasn’t sent. This blogger had volunteered to feature the author, along with a hundred others. I don’t believe a review copy was even requested. Eventually this person told the author the friendship was over, and all because of one review copy. I read about this when the author posted a general, very humble, and sincere apology to all online friends. (And judging from the comments, no one blamed the author.)

Life is more meaningful when we can do things for others. Online we help one another, like the hundreds of people who supported Talli Roland last December. This person volunteered to help. If a review copy was needed, a request should’ve been sent. (And sometimes the author doesn’t have review copies, so a request goes to the publisher.) But to blame the author and denounce friendship over a book seems trivial and uncaring.

Both of these situations could’ve been avoided with a little communication. The first person could’ve contacted the author before posting the review (and left out the personal attack of course) and the second person could’ve contacted the author or publisher and requested a review copy. So simple.

Fortunately, communication can begin to resolve these issues with the words “I’m sorry.” Again, so simple.

Have you seen a demonstration of poor judgment lately? A lack of people skills? A failure to communicate? A situation you wish you could change? Remember those simple words.