This is a random question that's been bothering me and I haven't found a good answer online.
When people say "good social skills," what do they mean exactly?
Or out another way, in what situations do you think person Z needs to improve social skills? Because I hear this advice a lot, usually not directed at me (or anyone in particular), and I'm often confused at what's meant.
Speaking as someone who often whines and moans about the poor socials skills of others, I can help with this!
Generally, "good social skills" refers to what is polite and good etiquette in social settings, but mostly casual conversation. Unlce Ted can make a real douche of himself at the wedding but can still have relatively decent social skills. The best way to describe it would be by describing what it isn't, i.e. dominating conversation, interrupting often, blunt/insensitive phrasing, holding on too strongly to any given point or consistently revisiting it - keeping the conversation from moving forward, inability to humor minor inaccuracies with grace, i.e. correcting or nitpicking everything that comes out of someone's mouth, etc, etc.
It's sort of self-explanatory, think of a social setting like a party, conversation, a drink out with friends or a card game in the break room as a boat. Good social skills keep the boat floating, conversation flowing, and tension/aggression between participants at a minimum. Poor social skills would be anything that could possibly rock or sink the boat, bar the rare situations in which the boat needs to be sunk.