Learning to use your person-suit
Last year I interviewed Christopher Butler, author of The Strategic Web Designer, about the future of the web, content marketing, and the power of the sabbatical.
As we were nearing the end of our conversation, things started to get juicy — and honest. (full interview with Christopher Butler here, please forgive mediocre audio quality)
Christopher told me that he had spoken on a panel where digital designers and content marketers were asking,
“What skills do we need to learn in order to survive in this rapidly changing economy?”
His answer? Get a therapist.
He went on to explain that we are each operating a person-suit, and that:
“…the most valuable thing you can learn to do is to learn to operate your person-suit better.”
Not only does learning how to operate your person-suit make you a better human, as well as help you to better understand your fellow humans, it has huge benefits in business.
I lit up when he said this, mostly because I had recently started seeing a therapist, and found myself wondering why everyone I know doesn’t have a therapist.
More than any content marketing or email tactics, some of the most important skill(s) you can learn in order to stay ahead of the curve are those relating to social and emotional intelligence.
These are the skills that I’ve been focusing on heavily over the last few years, and it’s had a tremendous impact on both my own well-being as well as my business.
You can be the best designer, copywriter, or developer, but without the ability to deeply understand people and human behaviour, you won’t be able to connect with customers.
Some of the best business learning I’ve done hasn’t been related to marketing tactics or sales funnels, but in fact, learning to understand myself and my fellow humans better.
This year, I’ve been taking my emotional awareness to the the next level through Meisner Technique Acting Classes, Voice Workshops, Therapy, and some great reading/listening:
How Conversation Works: 6 Lessons for Better Communication
Emotional Intelligence
What Makes a Leader: Why Emotional Intelligence Matters
These skills matter now more than ever.
Therapy has provided a chance to intellectualize emotional experiences and give context to behaviour, both my own and others.
Acting has allowed for emotional exploration and expression in a safe and non-threatening environment.
All of these personal development tools have given me more insight and understanding into how to better connect with myself and others. I’m finally beginning to understand how the heck this person-suit works, and it’s made a world of difference in both my personal and professional life.
How are you currently working on your person-suit?
Marie is a digital strategist, designer, and the chief mentor at Digital Strategy School. She regularly writes about business and strategy on herblog, and collaborates with her partner Ben over at weareokidoki.com.
