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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 1

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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.

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Interpersonal Relationships at workOrganizations 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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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Conflict in interpersonal relationshipsInterpersonal conflict is a disagreement between connectedindividuals who each want something that is incompatible withwhat the other wants.Conflict is neither good or bad. It is part of our lives. Theimportance 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 choicesIt affects:In the relationship with customer(s), peers, superiors and/orsubordinates. On your feelings and emotions On the task, the group and the organization.

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Resources and strategies to cope with and solve conflict Define the conflict by recognizing the interests of allparties involved as well as the other person and yourown 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

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Tips for superior interpersonalrelationships  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 dont build walls  Promote teamwork and team spirit