Interpersonal Relationship

Interpersonal relationship

We define types of interpersonal relationships in terms of relational contexts of interaction and the types of expectations that communicators have of one another to participate in positive, caring, and respectful relationships.

•         Interpersonal Relationships vary in differing levels of intimacy and sharing, implying the discovery or establishment of common ground, and may be centered around something(s) shared in common.

Six success elements in Relationships

•         It takes a combination of

1. Self-awareness,
2. Self confidence,
3. Positive personal impact,
4. Outstanding performance,
5. Communication skills and
6. Interpersonal competence

•         to succeed in your career and life.

Self-awareness

•         Becoming self-aware is the first step to improving our interpersonal effectiveness.

•         Most of our behaviours are natural for us.

•         We aren't aware of the impact these behaviours have on others. That leaves us with "blind spots" that others don't want to mention to us because they don't want to hurt our feelings, they are afraid of a reaction from us, or they just don't care.

•         Through self-awareness we learn what impact our behaviours - both positive and negative - have on others.  That knowledge helps us become more effective in our interactions with others.

•         Once we become self-aware we can examine and change behaviours that need changing. The option is our own. So are the consequences. When we choose to seek ways to modify our undesirable behaviours we begin the process of self-regulation. This is a conscious process through which we may ask for input from our family, trusted coworkers or friends, or a professional therapist.  

SELF-CONFIDENCE:   Sureness about one’s self-worth and capabilities

Positive Personal Impact

•         Do you know how other peoples see you? When you leave a meeting or end a conversation, what impression do you leave behind? What picture do other people have of you? How do you think they perceive you?

•         We impact on others through our opinions, the amount we contribute, the sound of our voice, the effect of our silence, the expressions we use.

•         Personal impact is about other things apart from your looks of course. Improving your posture, knowing how to shake hands properly, having good manners, not fidgeting and controlling your nerves in meetings, looking friendly and confident. 

Communication skills

•         Interpersonal communication can mean the ability to relate to people in written as well as verbal communication.  This type of communication can occur in both a one-on-one and a group setting.  This also means being able to handle different people in different situations, and making people feel at ease. 

•         active listening,

•         giving and receiving criticism,

•         dealing with different personality types, and

•         nonverbal communication.

3-Factor Model of interpersonal competence

•         Interpersonally competent people:

1. Are self aware. They use this awareness to better understand others and to adapt their behaviour accordingly.
2. Build and nurture strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships.
3. Resolve conflict in a positive manner. (Bilanich)

What are Interpersonal Skills?

•         A set of behaviors which allow you to communicate effectively and unambiguously in a face-to- face setting

•         They can also be thought of as behaviours which assist progress towards achieving an objective

•         Interpersonal relationship skills help us to relate in positive ways with our family members, colleagues and others. This may mean being able to make and keep friendly relationships as well as being able to end relationships constructively

Six interpersonal skills

•         There are just six interpersonal skills which form a process that is applicable to all situations:

1. Analyzing the situation
2. Establishing a realistic objective
3. Selecting appropriate ways of behaving
4. Controlling your behaviour
5. Shaping other people's behaviour
6. Monitoring our own and others' behaviour

Applicability of Interpersonal Skills

•         Analyzing the situation helps us to set realistic objectives

•         Establishing objectives, in turn, provides the context in which to make choices about how best to behave

•         By being conscious of our own behaviour in working towards the achievement of objectives we are more likely to influence other people’s behaviour

•         Constant monitoring will provide the feedback we need to make situation-dependent adjustments

Five dimensions of interpersonal competence

1. Initiating relationships.
2. Self-disclosure.
3. Providing emotional support.
4. Asserting displeasure with others' actions.*
5. Managing interpersonal conflicts.*

Interpersonal Communication skills

•         Eye contact is vital for good communication. For example, how would you feel if the person you were talking to kept looking around the corridor or out the window?

•         Appropriate body language encourages conversation. Nodding your head, smiling, laughing, using words such as "uh-huh" and "yeah" and asking questions at appropriate times assure the person that you are really listening.

•         Clear, organized ideas help you accurately and honestly describe your feelings and contribute to conversations and to decisions that need to be made. Good communicators are also specific. For example, a good communicator would say, "I need to use the computer from 7-9," as opposed to "I'll need the computer today."

Tips for Interpersonal Relationships

•         Understand of the nature of relationships.

•         Understand how strong interpersonal skills will magnify your personal power

•         Explore your interpersonal behaviors

•         Analyze various communication styles and recognizing your own

•         Provide strategies for effectively interacting with communication styles different from yours

•         Build skills in conflict prevention and management, and 

•         Consider behavioral standards that guide relationships