Social skill is more than having a few Facebook friends.
Social skill is the outcome of the other dimensions of emotional intelligence. Social skill is friendliness with a purpose; moving people in the desired direction, whether that’s agreement on a new strategy or enthusiasm about a new product.
Socially skilled people have many acquaintances, and they have developed a talent for building rapport and finding common ground. They are excellent collaborators and they are driven to find a solution.
Socially skilled people are adept at managing teams. They are upbeat and energetic. They know when to make an emotional appeal and when to make a logical appeal.
Socially skilled people build relationships with people throughout the organization, because they know they may need help someday, from people they are just getting to know today. They have a network in place when the time for action comes.
Career success is based upon getting work done through people, and social skill makes that possible. Empathy and motivation are useless if a person cannot communicate effectively with their coworkers. Social skill allows people to put their emotional intelligence to work.