Excerpt from workshop on how to build successful interpersonal relations at the workplace

1. Building interpersonal relationships
at work
Maipú 474 5º F - Buenos Aires - Argentina
Tel/Fax: (54-11) 5199-0070
www.sh-international.com
info@silviahaskler.com
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2. Goals
 To communicate in a professional, friendly/courteous manner
 To ensure the message is clear, organized and relevant
 To ensure the requests for information are specific
 To emphasize the importance of building meaningful interpersonal
relationships
 To develop a positive interaction attitudes with internal and
external customers, and to your own self.
 Ultimate objective: to help you develop resources to deal with
(conflictive, difficult) work situations. To achieve personal and
professional development which in turn, will benefit the
organization.

3. Interpersonal Relationships at work
Organizations and people-orientedness
 Quality of customer service and appropriate demeanor.
 Characteristics of a superior service.
 Conveying a positive and helpful attitude.
 Analyzing, breaking down and understanding your other people’s needs / desires.
 Conveying effective messages
 Dealing with difficult situations and complaints.
 Improving relationships, specifically the internal customer-supplier of critical
information.
 Encouraging trust and cooperation
 Using the right communication techniques
 Learning the importance of (constructive) feedback
 Identifying your personal contribution to a good service

4. Developing online interpersonal Skills
 Communicating via e-mail
 Benefits of effective writing
 A few guidelines for effective writing
 Feedback and error analysis
 Signposting
 Use of intensifiers and softeners
 Relevance of word choice

5. Listening
 Active listening / analyzing / breaking down / understanding. Not
only in terms of “type of customer” or any predetermined category
but at an interpersonal level. With the unique individual we are
communicating with
 To really understand people and give one’s best in meeting today’s
increasingly rising performance standards, developing quality
interpersonal relationships must feel valued
 Don’t miss any opportunity to listen to your customers, superiors
and fellow colleagues
 Provide mechanisms build communication bridges

6. Respect
A key concept in achieving good
interpersonal relationships is respect. It
involves,
 Respect for the customers’ time and wit
 Respect for uniqueness and diversity
 Respect for their needs
 Respect for your task, and the organization
as a unit

7. Trust
 Trust: etymologically associated with truth and
major normative concepts including relying upon
others
 Related to bastions of a good society and thus,
good organizations: justice, truth, faith and
confidence
 The cohesive force that binds people together and
has consequences in all social domains.
 Generating trust is a critical factor in the success of
companies, individuals and society at large. On the
contrary, suspicion and mistrust are lethal to all
social relationships.
 Establishing great relationships based upon trust,
commitment and credibility are key to succeeding
in today’s world
 There are inborn trustful and trustworthy people,
skills which are developed in their early childhood.
Such skill, however, can also be learned.

8. Responding
 Always get back to people / answer their queries
 Respond with results, not with descriptions of
ongoing processes and / or excuses
 Avoid engaging into false promises
 Never lie
 Plan ahead, manage your resources and meet
your deadlines
 Follow-up

9. Feeling good? Provide a superior service
 “Go that extra mile”
 Look at your standards. What are your benchmarks
of best practice? What is acceptable?
 Be helpful
 Don’t be afraid of complaints, but anticipate conflict.
Let the complaint reveal itself and listen carefully
 Avoid easy fixes; don’t use frills to compensate or
disguise deficiencies. Never accept “it is good
considering…”; make sure there are no excuses
 Avoid feelings of guilt; encourage responsibility and
accountability instead
 What would you do if you feel there is no solution?
Share with others – learn to ask for help / advice

10. Conflict in interpersonal relationships
Interpersonal conflict is a disagreement between connected
individuals who each want something that is incompatible with
what the other wants.
Conflict is neither good or bad. It is part of our lives. The
importance lies on the way we handle it.
Some of its sources:
Distress
Poor or lack of communication
Unmet needs
Limited resources
Differences in values, beliefs and life choices
It affects:
In the relationship with customer(s), peers, superiors and/or
subordinates.
 On your feelings and emotions
 On the task, the group and the organization.

11. Resources and strategies to
cope with and solve conflict
 Define the conflict by recognizing the interests of all
parties involved as well as the other person and your
own desires, needs, concerns, fears and hopes
 Learn how to identify the most feasible solutions
 Have an available Plan B
 Be ready to listen
 Commit yourself
 Gather key information
 Put yourself in the other person’s shoes
 Set clear objectives
 Know yourself and analyze your response and behavior
 Be resilient

12. Tips for superior interpersonal
relationships
 Create forums for information
sharing
 Practice proactive information
sharing
 Generate, or contribute to, an
environment in which status is
accorded to those who share freely
and don't build walls
 Promote teamwork and team spirit