EYS Interpersonal Skills Survey: What Do You Do?
by Laurie Wilhelm
Last week’s interpersonal skills survey question read:
Generally speaking, when you’re walking down the street, are you aware of the people around you or are you lost in your thoughts and on “automatic pilot”?
The responses tied: 50% of readers are aware of the people around them and 50% are on automatic pilot.
Being aware of the people around you
Paying attention to who is around you is the more social of the two choices. While it’s not like you’re waving and saying hello to everyone who passes by like you’re on a float in a parade, you’re aware so you’re more likely to acknowledge others and maybe even be more inclined to help someone (who is having difficulty getting into a building with their stroller, for example) that you wouldn’t have been if you were on automatic pilot. (Of course, there is a safety issue – when you’re walking alone at night it’s advisable to know who’s around you.)
Automatic pilot
Other times we’re just absorbed in our thoughts, perhaps taking the same route every morning on the way to work, so we’re not as aware of our surroundings let alone other people. It’s not a bad thing to be on automatic pilot – sometimes you need to be in that head space before you go into the office or go home after a busy day. Occasionally, however, it’s worth taking a few minutes away from the automatic mode and being aware of what’s going on around you – even if it’s only to appreciate what you’ve got.
photo©iStockphoto.com/Giorgio Fochesato
