A businesswoman from Alrewas has revealed her five "secrets" for getting on with people.
Donna Whitbrook, 51, and her friend and colleague Lyn Bromley, 48, have put the tips in a new book, called Trust.
It focuses on the five essential skills that people should work on in order to build professional and personal relationships to earn the trust of others. These are mindset, communication, interaction, behaviour and professional image.
Donna said: "Human interaction is arguably the most important skill anyone could have in business. Having that charisma to build a relationship and maintain that is something that every good business person will have.
"They're really important skills that everyone needs to be taught - whether or not they work in business.
"When kids at school, they should be learning these skills because they can have such a huge impact on interpersonal relationships.
"We have heard from people who struggle to engage with other people and simply do not know how to act around people they don't know. If they went to an interview like that, it probably won't end well."
The pair both work at a training company, First Impressions Training, which teaches people how to make the most of themselves in their careers and works to improve the basic skills needed in the world of work.
Lyn is the managing director of First Impressions Training and Donna is the corporate associate.
Lyn said the book can be a useful tool for anyone, even if they do not work in the business world.
Lyn said: "I actually went out last night to a lovely restaurant and we saw a group of young girls on the table next to us. They spend two and a half hours on their smart phones. They missed out on so much and we want this book to make people see they have to pay more attention to keep up their social relationships.
"People live in this digital world and it is completely different to the real world.
Donna and Lyn set themselves the challenge of writing, editing and publishing their own book, all in just 12 months - something their publisher said they would not achieve.
The pair proved her wrong though and Trusted was published in late 2017 and has already proven to be popular with those in the business industry and people keen to improve their social skills alike.
Donna said: "Yes, it is a book that was written for people who work in business, but these skills can be useful to anybody, at any point in their life."
The pair have plenty to celebrate as, just over a year after they decided to write the book, they got news that it had been entered for a national competition.
The ladies will battle it out in hopes their book will come out on top and take the Judges Choice prize at the Business Book Awards 2017.
Lyn said: "We knew we wanted to enter the book in the awards, but we weren't sure which category to put it into as it could have fit into two. We finally decided, but it was not short-listed for the award.
"However, we were then informed it was up for the Judges Choice award, with three other books. The judges said it was so good they had to have it somewhere.
"We were thrilled when we found out. Nobody even thought we would be able to finish the book in a year, let alone get it published and be put for up for an award!"
Lyn and Donna will head to the ceremony for the Business Book Awards at the Grange City Hotel in London on March 16.
