Growing up, one always thinks that one's parents are socially inept (aka embarrassing). I guess I've had my fair share of that feeling although probably not as acutely as some kids. However, the more I watch my parents, the more I realize how many important "social skills" I can learn from them! So what is it that they do?
1: They actually care about people. They aren't just pretending to be friendly or sympathetic.
2: They ask questions. Instead of having a "Let me tell you about myself" attitude, they are interested in the other person.
3: They listen! So often, people will ask a question, but not even listen to the other person's answer.
4: They are able to intelligently discuss a wide range of topics, which makes for a very interesting conversation.
Yep, that's my parents...the social fiends. :-)
