Anyone who has been interviewed for a job or, come to that, been part of a company’s HR team will be familiar with the term ‘people person’.
Its bandied about so much in the corporate world these days, I’ve started to think there must be some sort of contractual obligation for the interviewer to raise it at some point and for the interviewee to respond with a similarly stock reply.
‘So, ‘x’ do you get on with working in a team, are you a people person?’
‘Oh very much so, yes, I am a people person’.
Job done, box ticked, move on.
The question was always going to be asked and the answer was always going to be the same.
But in nine cases out of ten, I’d guess that the interviewer doesn’t really understand what the question means, whilst the interviewee almost certainly doesn’t know what being a ‘people person’ truly involves.
So, what exactly is a ‘people person’?
I’d say that they are an individual who enjoys interacting with others, in any role or situation and regardless of the status, perceived or otherwise, of same and possesses strong interpersonal skills that will enable them to build positive, supportive and long lasting relationships.
It’s a very genuine skill in other words. Which means being the life and soul of any party doesn’t, I’m afraid to say, make you a people person.
Friendly? Yes. Sociable? Yes. Easy to get on with? Almost definitely.
But people person?
No, it needs more than a winning (or otherwise) smile and the ability to exude bonhomie at a moment’s notice.
I’ve had to learn the art.
Because, as a Ghostwriter, I wouldn’t….
…no, put it another way. If I wasn’t a people person, then I couldn’t be a ghostwriter.
Why is a quality that is essential for Ghostwriters to possess? Two immediately come to mind here.
It starts with the ‘C’ word. Which in this case, is Collaboration.
Which is the foundation of any ghostwritten book. It is a two person job and has to be from start to finish. You won’t see my name on the cover on a lot of the books I have ghostwritten but, rest assured, on each and every one of them, my input and work has been, at the very least, equal to that of the subject. Ghostwriters work very closely with clients to capture their voice, ideas, and experiences. Strong interpersonal skills help in understanding the client’s vision and expectations which means delivering an end product (the book) that they are happy with.
Empathy is also very important. Being able to empathize with the client allows the ghostwriter to craft a narrative that authentically reflects the client’s personality and emotions. The client needs to have absolute trust in you, trust that you are going to craft their story accurately and honestly, trust that you will keep their secrets and aspects of their private life that you will inevitably become aware of to yourself and trust that you will always stand by their side-even when, and this does happen, someone trys to tempt you into revealing certain facts about them-and, all too often, with financial inducement to do so.
It goes without saying, of course, that a ghostwriter, any writer, needs to be able to write, to have the technical skills in abundance to demonstrate that they can.
But to successfully enhance and build upon that absolute basic, the ability to demonstrate that, in addition to that, you most definitely are a ‘people person’ makes the whole process smoother and more successful.
As well as earning you, as a rather lovely fringe benefit, a close friend for life.
All the evidence you’ll ever need to show that you are a true people person.
