People management is an important skill to have. Whether you are currently in charge or not, or even employed or not, enhancing this skill can have a significant impact on your career.
 
Every year on January 24th we observe National Compliment Day because we recognize the importance of praise and compliments. A good manager always remembers to recognize the staff because a compliment can be a powerful tool. Whether you are at the giving or the receiving end, timely praise can elevate people’s confidence and have a direct impact on employee retention. It’s just an all-around win-win act. You have nothing to lose by making someone smile. Who knows how far your positive vibe can go? Spread the praise or gratitude and let it take its course.
 
In case if you believe your people management skills are not strong, you can improve by learning a few psychology techniques and implementing this knowledge in your career. We all inherently share the same basic needs and desires. When you help others meet their need, they tend to respond in a warmer and more receptive manner. With a bit of practice, patience, and a keenness to understand others, you can also develop excellent people management skills.
 
Below are seven crucial qualities that can improve your people management skills:

1.  Empathize with others. If you had that manager position, would you behave any differently? Great managers are good at reading the emotions and thoughts of others. They instantly pick up on creeping issues and work tirelessly to solve problems amongst feuding members. Ask yourself if you’re open to doing the same if you had that role.
 
2.  Be generous with gratitude and appreciation. You may feel thankful to members of your team, but if you never say it or express it, they will never know for sure. So, eschew any iota of doubt and look for newer and better ways to express these emotions when you feel them.

• Never forget to say “Thank you” when others lend you a helping hand. Most people love a sincere appreciation, and a little “Thank you” can go a long way. Also, people tend to be more open to the idea of providing support when they know that you would appreciate it in the end.
•  Go one step further and do extraordinary things for those that you know will appreciate the gesture.  

3.  Don’t hoard genuine compliments. Regularly look for areas where your team has excelled recently and sincerely compliment them for it. As long as it’s sincere, the recipients will sense it and will appreciate your compliment even more.
 
4.  Treat others with respect. Regardless of their status or stance in life, aim to always treat everybody you encounter with respect. Treat them the same way you would like to be treated. This is a true demonstration of strength and character, two essential qualities that epitomizes a person with great people skills.
 
5.  Delegate correctly. Assign tasks according to skill and competency. Once people understand their roles and are put in the right position, they will all get the chance to excel at what they know how to do best. This way, the team will be much more productive and team members will be motivated to do even more.
 
6.  Be Honest, always. Honesty is still the best policy. Once people get hold of a lie you told, your whole integrity and trustworthiness as a person will come under scrutiny. Earning and keeping the trust of others is a vital leadership skill. When others trust you, they will also believe in you, and all your deeds, opinions and goodwill will mean much more to them.
 
7.  Be a Great Listener. It’s often said that it is easier to talk and harder to listen and that listening is half the conversation. Genuinely listen to others when they approach you. Regardless of whether you agree with what they are saying or not, make it a point to carefully listen and attempt to rationalize their position. Once people know that you’ll give them a listening ear, they would be more open to approaching you.

Are you passionate about your work? Do you identify your profession as your dream career? It can be much easier to be successful financially and professionally if you can combine your passions and your work. Most of us play it safe and choose a career or create a business based largely on practicality. After all, it’s easier to find a job as an accountant than as an artist.

But it’s possible to have both. What is noteworthy is that many people aren't sure of how to identify their passion. One of the many ways to identify your passion is to monitor how you spend your free time and what your core values are. 
 
Your answers to these questions will help you discover your passions:

1.   Know why you want that career change. Obviously, you’re struggling to find fulfillment in your current career, but why is that? Regular long hours? Unsatisfying? Are you being underpaid for your level? Knowing the exact reason(s) why you want to switch careers will help you avoid the same problems in your next career.

• Avoid taking the slightest opportunity to quit a career. Make an informed decision about your future and then plan accordingly.

 
2.   Be conscious of what you want. According to research, people tend to generally like their work. For the most part, the actual job isn’t very important. Instead, the license to be innovative, assisting others and autonomy are some of the major factors. There are several careers out there that can offer you these possibilities.

• Don’t give in to the misconception that you must land your dream job. There are multiple opportunities out there that would tick all the boxes.

 
3.   Have big but realistic ambitions. Depending on your background and age, the time for becoming a professional trapeze artist or a ballerina may be long gone. You must realize that not every dream career is attainable.

• Having unrealistic ambitions may leave you frustrated and can stifle progress.

 
4.   Identify the education and skills needed for your new career. Do you need a new certification? Degree? IT skills? Public speaking skills? What do you need to make this change a reality? Start to develop and gather the necessary skills or education as soon as possible.
 
5.   Don't quit current job until you secure a new one. This may not be very convenient, but if possible, avoid quitting your current job until you have a new job. You will be amazed at how fast a savings account can run dry when you aren’t making money.

• If you’ve been abruptly laid-off, consider taking a job in the short-term until your career transition is successful. Also, a job related to your new career would be perfect.

 
6.   Anticipate the possibility of starting from scratch. You may currently be managing a department at a Fortune 500 company, but your first role as a computer programmer may put you in a shared office space, working with other interns on low-profile projects. The bigger the switch, the likelier it is that you’ll have to begin from the bottom of the ladder. You will have to step out of your comfort zone.
 
7.   Establish relationships and contacts in your desired field as soon as possible. Do you have any connections in your potential career? Can you offer to volunteer or start as an intern? Is there a part-time position that you can apply for to learn the ropes? Given today’s digital media tools, it isn’t very difficult to connect with people and with a bit of effort, you should soon revive your network or build a new network by connecting with recruiters and hiring managers.
 
Don’t take the decision to switch careers lightly. Think it through. Usually, you will only get one shot at changing careers! Identify what your present career is missing and settle for a career that satisfies all your needs. Keep in mind that your new career may mean that you have to initially start from scratch. But if you’re making the right choice, that possibility may be very rewarding.