SOCIAL SKILLS: Why Are They Important? (Part 1/3)

In the universe of self-development and motivational content, there is an inexplicably popular persona: The “Sigma”

This “lone wolf” character stalks highly motivated people like us constantly.

We’ve all seen the grainy CapCut videos of Thomas Shelby or Christiano Ronaldo walking in suits, usually with a misattributed quote stamped on top.

You know, the “Real G’s hustle in the shadows” videos always reposted by that one realtor friend.

While this content may have a niche following and be well-liked by certain people, make no mistake: they’re spreading the idea that success can only be attained all on your own.

There’s a growing idea that social skills come secondary to personal motivation and business acumen.

That listening and collaboration are dying tools from the pre-drop shipping era.

That sustained success can be attained apart from working well with others.

At Mindhoney, we disagree.

Social skills are just that: skills.

And skills can be learned, muscles can be healed and grown through specific exercises.

In this piece, we’ll explore the positive impact of being social, the importance of networking and communication, and of course—tips on how to strengthen your own social muscle.

What’s the point of being social?

“The social muscle is among our greatest and most distinct evolutionary traits,” John T. Cacioppo and Stephanie Cacioppo write in an article for Harvard Business Review.

“Humans are not particularly strong, fast, or stealthy relative to other species. We lost our canine teeth thousands of years ago, and have never had the protection offered by natural armor or flight. What makes us such a formidable species is our ability to reason, communicate, work together, and learn from one another.”

Everything that has been created so far: every invention, every breakthrough, and every opportunity we now enjoy—was created by people in social groups working together.

Even the things that make isolated lives possible: the internet, food delivery, are created by people working together in groups every single day.

Beyond this big picture stuff, there are distinct advantages to collaborating and working together in groups.

“Onboarding team members with diverse, specialized skills has been a key factor in Mindhoney's growth to date.” I asked Mindhoney’s founder Austin Piatt for some thoughts on collaboration. “This allows us to attack hurdles that arise (which they do often) by constructing solutions from each team member's experience.”

Beyond just the good vibes, collaboration allows teams to overcome hurdles more quickly. With more experience to draw on, more solutions come to the surface.

John T. Cacioppo and Stephanie Cacioppo expand on these thoughts:

“We do all this through culture, by establishing norms, sanctioning violators, forming alliances, recognizing the transient and dynamic nature of alliances, and adjusting our interactions and alliances accordingly. Isolation and loneliness run counter to this. They run counter to being human. It’s a cliché, but it’s true: We are social creatures. We have a social muscle. The more we exercise it, the healthier we’ll all be.”

Are you an overachiever?

Continue to next part: SOCIAL SKILLS (Part 2)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3