SOFT SKILLS — THE L-SKILLS	
Soft Skills: The L-Skills (page 1 of 2)	
Successful people try daily to improve their L-Skills or Likable Skills.
  When you have 
L-Skills, you get more raises, promotions, and invitations..  L-Skills d
o not come naturally 
to most people  because like-ability is a skill that must be learned.  How can you learn 
L-Skills?   With practice , L-Skills become easy and part of your personality!  Here are 
eleven tips to help you learn L-Skills — Remember, L-Skills will help you earn 
promotions, raises — and help you become a high-paid manager someday. 
TIP #1 — Treat every person as if they are an important person in the world.  People will feel 
comfortable around you because:  a) people see how you treat others, an
d — b) people know that you will 
treat them as an important, valuable, respected person also.
TIP #2 — Make eye contact.   Eye contact is to look at a person when they are 
talking to you,  and when you are talking to them.  Making eye contact shows that 
you have confidence (know that you are a good and helpful person).  Confidence lets 
others know that you can be trusted.  
TIP #3 — Call people by name.  Make others feel important by using their name.    
To remember names:   a) COMMIT:  Make a decision to remember names.  
b) CONCENTRATE:  Pay attention to hear the person’s name.  If you do not hear 
the name, say, "I’m sorry; I missed your name.  Can you give it to me again?"  If you 
still do not understand the name, say, "I’m sorry; Can you spell your name for me?"  
c) REPEAT:  Repeat the person’s name immediately: "Nice to meet you Michael. 
I am Jason."  Repeat the name silently to yourself.  Repeat the person’ s name when 
leaving: "Nice to meet you Michael."  Write down the person’s name afterwards in your contacts.  
d) MENTAL MATCH:  Make a mental match between the person and a picture.  For example:  For
 
"Michael," remember Michael standing next to Michael Jordon; Michael speaking with microphone; or 
monkey on Michael’s shoulder.  (Do not tell the person about the picture you use to help you remember!)
TIP #4 — Smile when speaking to others.  When you smile, you throw a little "feel good" party in your 
brain.  Your natural, warm smile allows people to feel happy around you and to feel at ease (relaxed).  In 
addition, smiling makes you more good-looking.
TIP #5 — Pay attention to (focus on) the person who is talking to you.
   Focus is: 
1) listening to the person; 2) watching the person; 3) understanding 
what the person is saying.  
Likeable people enjoy speaking, but do not need to be the center of atte
ntion.  Likable people 
know the importance of  being silent and being a good listener.  Likeable people live in the 
"now" time — not the past or future.  Pay attention, focus, to put yo
u in "now" time.
TIP #6 — Ask questions.   Likeable people are good at getting others to talk!  Therefore, likable people are 
good at asking questions that help others start talking.  Questions show
 you care.  When you care, people 
like you.

Permission to use with usworkworld.com subscription.  	Soft Skills: The L-Skills (page 2 of 2)	
QUICK CHECK:
1. a) What 3 things do you get when likable?  
  b) Why do L-Skills not come naturally?  
  c) With what do L-Skills become easy?
2.  a) How do you treat every person? b) For what 
2 reasons will people feel comfortable around 
you?
3.  a) What is eye contact?  b) What is confidence?
  c) What 2 things does eye contact show?
4.  a) How do you make others feel important?
  b) List the 4 steps to remember names (a-d).
  c) If you do not hear a name, what can you say?  
d) If you still cannot understand the name, what 
can you say? e) Describe the 3 times you repeat 
the name, and the one time you write the name.
  f)  Between what do you make a mental match?
5.  a) What do you throw when you smile?  
  b) How does a warm smile allow people to feel 
TIP #7 — Add value.  Most people think, "What have you done for me lately?"  
So, try to add value — a)  Service value such as opening a door for a person 
carrying packages, or saying, "I am going to get a bottle of water, would you like 
one also?"   b) Emotional value by supporting others, such as "We missed you 
yesterday" or "I am sorry that you had an accident."   c) Social value by introducing 
the person to others, and including the person in future events, if poss
ible.
TIP #8 — Take responsibility.  Likeable people admit if they make a mistake, and do not blame others. TIP #9 — Don’t get your feathers ruffled.  Likeable people keep emotions 
(anger, sadness, fear, surprise) under control.  Controlling your emotions sends a 
signal that you think clearly, look for the best, and do what is right.  Others like 
you for your calm, inner peace.  
TIP #10 — Show patience.  Patience is the skill to accept delays without getting stressed or losi
ng your 
temper.  Patience is working on a project with calm endurance (not giving up).  Patience is a form of 
kindness to others because it keep other people calm.  
TIP #11 — Speak positive about others.  Likeable people will talk about others in 
a positive way.  Likeable people are not gossipers.  Gossiper is defined as a person 
who reveals secrets about others (faults and embarrassing details) without that 
person's permission.  Speaking positive and not gossiping, lets people k
now: 
a) they can be themselves with you, and b) do not have to hide who the
y really are. 	
around you?
6.  a) List the 3 parts of focus.  b) Of what 2 
  things do likable people know the importance?  
7.  a) Where do likable people live?  b) What do 
you do to put you in now time?
8.  a) What is the likable person good at?  b) What  
do questions show? c) What happens when 
  you care?
9.  Describe how you show: a) service value.  
  b) emotional value.  c) social value.
10. a) List 4 emotions likable people keep under 
  control.  b) List 3 signals controlling emotions 
sends.  c) For what will others like you?
11.  a) Define patience.  b) Define endurance.  
  c) Patience is a form of what?  
12. a) Define gossiper.  b) What 2 things do you let  people know by speaking positive and not 
 gossiping?