Social competence - what exactly does it mean?

If you look into the internet, you will find many articles and definitions.

If you talk to trainers, coaches, educators or people, who are responsible for employees, you would be astonished to hear how many different aspects there are to this issue. And hardly anyone can give you an exact definition.

1990 Eric Adler started as one of the first European trainers to get involved in social competence.

Eric Adler´s definition of social competence in one sentence is:

Social competence is the ability to get along well with oneself and with his environment.

Elementary, easy to understand and all-embracing.

If someone gets along with himself, he is more content, healthier and has more success in every part of life. If someone gets along with his environment he achieves his goals much easier.

With this definition one can also perceive, that everyone can learn and develop social competence. Everybody can optimize it!

Social competence is therefore a neutral skill and is a combination of communication, motivation and mental strength. It can only be developed in the logical order of the three steps: self-knowledge, self-control and empathy.

After all social competence is the fundamental topic for contentment, happiness and success.