1 . Many people changed residences and are eager to get familiar with their new neighbors. Here’s a quick refresher on making the most of neighborhood relationships.

Begin at the beginning. Building good neighborly relationships starts when you or someone else moves into the area. If a new neighbor moves in, be proactive (主动的) and welcome them to the neighborhood.     1    . Consider taking a plate of cookies or a small housewarming gift. Share your contact information and offer to answer any questions they may have about the community, including your favorite restaurants or the best local service providers.

    2    . Don’t create things that are unpleasant to look at or allow your property’s condition to affect the value of neighboring homes adversely (不利地). Being kind to those around you includes keeping your yard tidy, removing snow from your sidewalks, and collecting trash and recycling bins after the truck has passed.

Be inclusive. If you are hosting a large party, consider extending invitations to your neighbors. During the holiday season, remember the people next door with a card, a homemade goodie, or an offer of assistance. Give without expectations.     3    .

Allow people to be human.     4    , and it’s impossible to know what others are going through. Don’t be too quick to assume a sligh (轻蔑) is personal or intended.

Accept it. If you have tried your best to resolve a conflict without success, let it go. Sadly, some people won’t like you whatever you do. And you aren’t going to enjoy some people.     5    . Be pleasant anyway, and be thankful that you get to live your life and they get to live theirs.

2 . Your manager stops you and says she needs to have a word about your performance in the recent project. She begins by praising you for the good work you’ve done on the project, and you wonder if this is the praise that starts off the typical “feedback sandwich”.     1     Say something nice, say what you really want to say, say something nice again.

However, when feedback becomes such a routine, employees can start to perceive positive feedback as simply a form of sugarcoating the negatives, thus decreasing its value. Instead, positive feedback should not simply be seen as something to cushion the negative.     2     Below are three tips to help you make positive feedback count.

    3     When positive and negative feedback always appear to go hand in hand, the positives can become devalued and ignored. Ensure there are times when positive feedback is given for its own sake and resist the temptation to offer constructive criticism.

Cultivate a “growth mindset”. Many of us tend to focus our praise on the end result and seeming inborn talents. For example,     4     However, research suggests that by focusing on the process of box things are done, we can encourage the development of new skills and the continued enhancement of talents.

Create a culture of offering positive feedback. Make giving positive feedback part of your team culture. Don’t just wait for special moments to give feedback. Offer informal positive feedback when making small talk.     5     Encourage peer feedback among team members and colleagues and actively ask them for positive comments on each other’s performances on tasks.

3 . If you identify as a people-pleaser, you might feel like it’s impossible to change. Well-meaning friends can try to encourage you to just be yourself, but no matter how hard you try, you can’t shake that urge to keep everyone happy.     1    

    2     To be able to tell the difference, you should look at the amount of tension you feel. For example, when you see a friend finish his water and you refill his cup, that can come out of normal sensitivity to other people’s needs if you feel relaxed when you do it. But if you notice a sense of pressure, like something bad will happen if you don’t refill their drink, then you’re operating from anxiety and fear.

Lots of times, people who try to please other people are extremely quick to react in social settings. They know what to say right away and they move into care taking immediately.     4     One subtle but powerful technique to change your habit is to deliberately delay your reactions, connect with yourself and then try to have the interaction out of an authentic part of yourself.

As you slowly start to become aware of your needs and even state them out loud, it can bring in some essential changes in your relationships. You might realize that as you mature, some friendships are not as rewarding or even as equal as you would like them to be.     5     If you have an emotionally immature friend, it’s up to you to decide if you want to leave the friendship or use that relationship as an opportunity for mutual growth, if the other person also seems interested in changing.

4 . It’s important to be able to talk to people when networking and building strong relationships. If you work in a professional role, you probably need to make small talk sometimes. However, you may don’t know how to make small talk. Don’t worry.     1    

Put your electronic devices away. The first step to making small talk is to put your devices away. This is a small but meaningful gesture in this digitalized world.     2     Giving your full attention to the person you are speaking to is good manners. Also, it offers a chance for you to build a relationship with him/her.

Listen first. In social situations, one way to show you are offering your full attention is to listen.     3     When you are listening, show you are paying attention by practising nonverbal cues like nodding and making eye contact. It’s also a good active listening practice to repeat what someone just told you.

Ask open questions.     4     For example. “How have things been?” is a better question than “Have you been alright?”. The latter requires a “yes or no” response, while the former draws out information in a conversational way.

    5     When someone tells you something in a small talk conversation, give your enthusiastic response. Your positivity not only can show you are paying attention but also might make them feel valued. This is good for building a relationship with someone you don’t know very well.

5 . In the workplace, one of the most important skills to possess is good communication.     1    ; it means they are able to listen to others, as well as successfully convey their own ideas and opinions. While listening and speaking are important in effective communication, there are other skills that are vital to good communication in the workplace.

    2     . This means not only listening with your ears but also being able to comprehend what the person is saying. Giving co-workers your full attention when they are conveying an idea can go a long way in building relationships and furthering progress.

Having empathy （同理心）is very useful in communication.     3     Put yourself in the other person's position instead of judging or critizing based on your own beliefs. While this may be difficult for some, empathizing with others can be very helpful to keep in tune with your own emotions and ideas.

Encouraging others will heighten confidence and appreciation in the workplace.     4    , you help others feel they are wanted, welcomed and respected by co-workers. People are much more likely to spare no effort if they know they are valued.

Body language can greatly impact how others treat you in the workplace. Being extroverted（外向的） and friendly lets co-workers know you are open to hearing their opinions about projects or new designs.

    5     . Be sure to maintain eye contact the majority of the time you are speaking with someone, and use hand gestures to help you form clearer thoughts. Smiling offers encouragement and creates a noticeable difference in how you are treated. People who smile more are seen as more approachable and trustworthy.

While many of these good communication skills occur naturally in individuals, some may need to be learned and practiced in order to become second nature.