Interpersonal skills - can cause problems
Interpersonal relationships and behaviours between the members of the organisation, or between members and other stake-holders (clients?) can aid or hinder business. Sometimes it’s personality clashes - sometimes it’s about the lack of knowing the right way. Interpersonal skills are a social attribute and there is little attention to developing those skills in workplace members. There are strong relationships between high levels of interpersonal skills and important measures of success and well being.
When:
- everything should be going well but is seems like members are dragging their way through wet cement
- members aren’t getting along
- some members complain about others
- customers or clients complain about service
- there are too many ‘people’ problems interfering with work
- ‘social’ chat or ‘friendships’ interfere with work (quantity or quality)
Sometimes it’s just a matter of sorting out appropriate attitudes and behaviours. This comes down to training and development of interpersonal sensitivities and skills. The fringe benefit for people who undertake this training is the positive impact it has on the quality of other aspects of their lives. The most striking example is ‘at home’ life.
Interpersonal skills of Supervisors
The relationship between a member at any level and his immediate supervisor (including ‘manager’ for this purpose) is the most powerful important to have working well. This relationship, if successful, can promote success of individuals and the organisation itself. Investigative research into leadership, followership, performance, commitment, loyalty, self esteem, stress and a host of others have emphasised the importance of this relationship. Without supervisors with high interpersonal skills, there will not be as successful an organisation as there should and could be - simple as that.
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