How to Be a People Person
To become a people person, start by making yourself available and approachable to the people around you. You can do this in your day-to-day life by taking your headphones off in public, signing up for a club or social group, and asking open-ended questions like “Where are you from?” or “What did you do this weekend?” Show interest in their response by maintaining eye contact, and allow them to finish speaking before you reply.
Engage people you meet wherever you may be. Keep an open mind about the various people you meet, and break out of your comfort zone. Talk to the people in the checkout line with you, the folks around the water-cooler at work, or classmates in the hall at school. A good way to become more of a people person is to make yourself engage with people more often. Don't judge others based on their appearance. Being a people person means that you're open to everyone, including people who are different from you or come from a different background. Try to create a curiosity toward others and what they've experienced. Every time you leave your room is an opportunity to engage with someone. The more often you try to strike up a conversation in passing, the better you'll be at it. Avoid robotic responses. In most daily routines, you're asked a series of questions that act as polite greetings like, “how are you?” It's easy to give a typical response to these types of interactions, but adding personality can zest up the conversation. Tell them how you're feeling that may generate a follow-up question like, “I've had better days. I spent too much money last night and I've got nothing to show for it.” Getting too personal can make some people feel uncomfortable. You won't always induce a meaningful conversation. More than often the person you're talking to isn't a people person, and they're more comfortable with an autopilot response. Don't divulge anything you wouldn't feel comfortable discussing. Ask open-ended questions. People like talking about themselves. The more interest you show in their life, the more they'll find you interesting. One good way to open up a conversation is to ask a few simple questions that require an answer beyond "yes" and "no." Try something like: ”Where are you from?” ”How did you get to work today?” ”Do anything fun over the weekend?” Make a comment about their wardrobe. Listen to the person, showing genuine interest. If you ask somebody a question, you should be able to follow their response. People can tell if you aren't listening to them. It is rude and won't produce a meaningful or interesting interaction. Make eye contact while you're speaking to them, and nod when appropriate to show that you're following along. You should also make occasional remarks like "wow." Be sure the person is finished speaking till you give your response. Avoid cutting people off when they're talking to you. Be aware of your tone. Your tone and voice modulation matters in everyday conversations. If you are in a rush and 'want' to rush through a conversation, the recipient will be able to tell. Take time to reflect in what condition you are in if you feel stressed out. Taking time to evaluate your emotional condition can also help your tone and prevent coming across as rude. Join clubs or social groups. A good way of meeting and interacting with people is to belong to a group where everyone has a shared interest. You already know you both enjoy something, so the conversation should be easy. As you get older, these types of groups might seem limiting, but there many groups for all ages. Look for groups on sites like www.meetup.com or on social media, such as Facebook. You can search for groups in your area that focus on a variety of interests. Meet up with people to take care of errands. Everyone has weekly chores that need to get done, such as grocery shopping, laundry, and sometimes even meal prep. Depending on your schedule, you might invite people to join you as you check off your errands list. If no one goes with you, your errands are a great opportunity to meet new people! For example, you could invite people to meet you at the Farmers Market to purchase your weekly groceries. It's a fun way to spend time with people but still check off your weekly chores. If you do your laundry at a laundromat, you could invite a friend alone to chat and play cards while the washer and dryer are going. Make plans for weekends and evenings. If your schedule permits, you should invite someone to join you to the park, museum, ball game, or other activity. One of the keys for inviting someone to hang out with you is to have a plan in mind. If you are indecisive and can't choose an activity to do, the plans could become awkward. Volunteer your time. Volunteers at charity events or other places tend to be people persons themselves. This is a good venue for honing in your social skills. Don't be afraid and get yourself out there. Volunteering is also a great way to give back to your community and assist the less fortunate. Take off your headphones. It is very common today for people of all ages to listen to headphones out in public. While it might be fun to jam out on your commute to work, you lose an opportunity to engage with people around you. Listen to your favorite track with dinner, you need be approachable in order to be a better people person. Understand a magnetic personality. People with a magnetic personality may seem like they have a superpower for attracting others, but really they just have a friendly, open personality. You can adopt a magnetic personality by being friendly to others and having an open, positive attitude toward life and other people. Self-reflection is important to understand and evaluate your current attitude. Everyone has bad days, but a positive attitude can elevate your bad mood and influence others to feel good as well. Use good manners. People tend to prefer to interact with polite, well-mannered people. Remembering to say “please” and “thank you” can go a long way. Also, try to be respectful by holding the door open for others and being generous. This is why good parents reinforce manners at a young age. Manners go hand in hand with being a people person. Keep up with the news and current events. Staying on top of current events is a fertile area for conversation topics. It is also important to stay up to date with the world around you. Incorporate a newspaper or news website into your daily routine. When you don't know something, be honest about it. Say, "I haven't read about that, can you tell me more?" Be open to what they have to say to show them that you're interested in their thoughts. This shows you're a curious, open person. Be well-groomed and tidy. People are inclined to prefer the company of people who are reasonably clean and well-kept. Do this by caring for your hygiene by brushing your teeth, showering, and wearing clean clothes. Reach for becoming influential. Influence is a trait of a people person. Everyone knows those who have a negative impact on others. These are the types of people who will cause those they interact with to feel crummy. The inverse of a negative impact is a positive influence. These are the type of people who raise up others and point out the positive traits in those around them. Start with being humble. Humility makes you more approachable and enables you to boost up others. This attracts people to you. Always be yourself but also incorporate these traits: funny, thoughtful, selfless, insightful, and interesting. Reflect on your attributes. Constantly look for ways that you can grow and learn as a person. Not only will this help you be your best self, it also makes you a more interesting person. Look for areas where you personally feel like you need to grow. This can be in your social skills, character, your daily attitude, your hobbies, your areas of interest, or a topic that's grabbed your interest. Being a lifetime learner will expand your views about the world around you. 
Engage people you meet wherever you may be. Avoid robotic responses. Ask open-ended questions. Listen to the person, showing genuine interest. Be aware of your tone. Join clubs or social groups. Meet up with people to take care of errands. Make plans for weekends and evenings. Volunteer your time. Take off your headphones. Understand a magnetic personality. Use good manners. Keep up with the news and current events. Be well-groomed and tidy. Reach for becoming influential. Reflect on your attributes. 