A FRAMEWORK FOR INTERPERSONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1 A FRAMEWORK FOR INTERPERSONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT

OPENING THOUGHTS Effective interpersonal relationships must be combined with technical knowledge and good work habits to achieve success in any job involving interaction with people. Lack of good interpersonal skills can hurt your career. Interpersonal skills enable you to connect with others, and thereby to be more successful.

PLAN OF THE BOOK 3-part strategy of book is (a) key concepts, (b) suggestions or behavioral guidelines, and (c) a variety of exercises. Interpersonal skill training teaches skills to deal with others so they can be put into practice. Interpersonal skills training involves soft skills rather than hard skills.

SEVERAL SOFT-SKILL COMPETENCIES Translating and conveying information Interpreting emotions of others Sensitivity to people’s feelings Resolving conflicts calmly Avoiding negative gossip Being polite Cooperation and teamwork

Soft Skills, continued Soft skills training is important because a combination of human effort and technology is needed to produce results. Soft skills are often the difference between adequate and outstanding performance because dealing with people is part of many jobs. Leading executive coach says that building relationships with people is important for workers at every level, including the CEO.

A MODEL FOR IMPROVING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS Goal (desired state) Assessing reality Action plan Feedback on Actions Frequent practice

FINE POINTS ABOUT GOAL SETTING State each goal as a positive statement. Formulate specific goals. Formulate concise goals. Set realistic goals as well as stretch goals. Set goals for different time periods.

REALISTIC GOALS Represents right amount of challenge. Easy goals not very motivational. Goals too far beyond capabilities can lead to frustration and despair if person fails. Self-efficacy (confidence in ability to carry out task) helps determine realism. Several goals that stretch capability might be included in your list of goals.

ACTION PLAN Mechanism to change relationship between person and environment. Series of steps to achieve a goal. Personal goal will be elusive without action plan. Self-discipline needed to implement action plan.

FEEDBACK ON ACTIONS Measures effects of actions against reality. Obtain feedback on consequences of actions. Need short- and long-term measures of effectiveness of actions. Long-term measures important because skill-development of major consequence has long-range implications.

FREQUENT PRACTICE Final step in model makes true development possible. Skill must be integrated into usual way of conducting self. Skill becomes a habit after it is programmed into brain. Interpersonal skills involve many habits.

IDENTIFICATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS A developmental need is a specific area in which a person needs to change. To improve interpersonal skills we must first be aware of how we are perceived by others who interact with us. Be candid with self about areas for needed change. Think about consistency in feedback you have received from others. Solicit feedback from others.

Developmental Need Identification, continued Ask opinion of people who know you well to help you identify needs for improvement with respect to interpersonal skill. Reflect on feedback from performance evaluations. What constructive suggestions did you receive from the evaluation? Self-Assessment Quiz 1-1 will help you identify your interpersonal developmental needs. You are now ready to develop action plans.

UNIVERSAL TRAINING NEEDS FOR INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS A universal training need is a common area for improvement, such as better spoken communication skills. Chapters 2-17 deal with universal training needs. Treat each chapter as an opportunity for development. The 16 broad areas for universal training needs are listed next.

Understanding individual differences. Self-esteem and self-confidence. Interpersonal communication. Behaving appropriately when using digital devices. Developing teamwork skills. Group problem solving and decision making. Cross-cultural relations. Resolving conflicts with others.

Becoming an effective leader. Motivating others. Helping others grow and develop. Positive political skills. Customer service skills. Enhancing ethical behavior. Stress management and personal productivity. Job search and career management skills.

DEVELOPING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS ON THE JOB This course emphasizes the learning of interpersonal skills. Opportunities exist also in the workplace for developing interpersonal skills. Dual opportunity for learning soft skills is similar to learning of hard skills. You study written material, then apply the information to a job problem.

INFORMAL LEARNING Acquisition of knowledge that takes place naturally outside structured learning environment. Trend is for companies to integrate formal and informal learning. Worker can learn by observation. Coaching brings about informal learning.

SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENTAL EXPERIENCES Unfamiliar responsibilities Proving yourself Problems with employees Influencing without formal authority Difficult manager The above on-the-job challenges require high-level interpersonal skills.