Building Interpersonal Skills in the Workplace
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| With todays employers using buzz words such as "team player,""people skills,"effective communication," every IT professional needs to place some emphasis on building their interpersonal skills. |
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THE GOAL: Someone who...can project an image of self-assurance will inspire confidence in others. Your goal is to make yourself easly understood and avoid confusing the people around you
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You've got the education, the certification, the work experience, the great resume. You're all set to rule the IT world, right? Not so fast. In today's competitive job market, technical knowledge and expertise form just part of the picture. Employers are looking for people who possess not only the experience and know-how to work in the IT field, but also the ability to interact easily and productively with clients, colleagues, and coworkers.
"Very few jobs entail just sitting in front ofa computer," says Sharad Sood of GSI International Consulting Group."You have to interact. Even if you're not dealing with [computer] users, you're
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still working with the people around you." Gaining an edge over other candidates for a job may well come down to the quality of your interpersonal skills,he goes on to say. "If I have someone who can work with all the technology, but has to support and train users and talk
to people at a high level, he or she must be able to communicate, or they're not getting the job."
Good interpersonal skills come from a combination of self-confidence, experience, and a certain amount of social ease. Someone who is technically competent and can project an image of self-assurance will inspire confidence in others. Someone who can relate easily to coworkers and build trust with
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colleagues is a productive and valuable member of any group. Someone who can listen carefully and communicate ideas simply and effectively will likely be regarded as avoice of authority. These skills come naturally to some; others must work hard to develop them. But there are some basic principles to keep in mind that, if practiced, can help anyone relate more productively to his or her coworkers.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
"Effective communication is the best foundation," says Sood. It may be as simple as establishing direct eye contact with the person you're talking to, or as difficult as distilling complex technical
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WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS
With strong communication and listening skills in your repertoire, you're well on your way to becoming a highly respected employee and colleague. Being able to put these into practice when building relationships with coworkers will only enhance your reputation. The final piece of the puzzle lies in endeavouring to understand and appreciate the people with whom you work. This doesn't mean you should become close friends with everyone in the office; it simply means that striving to form good working relationships with the people on your team is vital. With trends running towards more and more contract work, the ability to join a group and assimilate quickly and easily is becoming an increasingly valuable skill. Neither the manager who is unaware of low team morale nor the colleague who discloses private information is fulfilling his or her role. Whether you're a project leader or one of many programmers working together on a single project, you have to be able to read the group dynamic around you and grasp your own place within it. That means establishing trust and mufual respect.
"Understanding and building relationships is the best way to avoid conflicts," says Sood. "If you trust someone completely, you're going to trust their judgement when it comes to a serious situation.
"The term "interpersonal skills" covers such a wide, vague area-the whole scope of human interaction-that it's difficult to define a program for development. But as mystifying as the concept may seem, most of us have some idea of when we're getting along and when we're not, and that internal alarm is probably the best indicator. Asking for input from a trusted friend or coworker may help you to understand where our interpersonals kills need work, as long as you can resolve not to take it personally when advice is offered! You may want to consult an agency or human-resources professional. Whatever your tactic, it's worth striving to improve your interpersonal skills. Any future leader of the IT world will need them.
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concepts down to basic ideas for a user who has little technical knowledge. Whatever the situation, your goal is to make yourself easily understood and avoid confusing the people around you. Clear communication pays off: The more you can put other people at ease, the more comfortable you'll be.
"It may be helpful to keep in mind the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle, "says Sood. There's no reason to make what you say so elaborate that no one can follow you. You may end up confusing yourself. l Give direct answers to direct questions and don't try to dazzle people with sentences filled with technical jargon. People are more likely to believe someone they understand and who speaks clearly and directly.
While nervousness and tension often make ease of communication difficult in an interview situation, Sood says being comfortable during an interview displays your confidence and character. You may want to practice in front of a mirror or with a friend to increase your comfort level. It will be one of the skills you will need the most on anv job.
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"Effective listening skills are also key, both in interview situations and in the workplace," says Sood. "Listening is crucial. You have to listen before you can respond." It may sound simple, but listening carefully to what people say allows you to answer them properly. Paying attention not only to what someone is saying, but also to how they're saying it, can markedly improve workplace relations. Giving a longwinded answer to the question of an obviously hurried coworker means you are not listening effectively, and not unlikely to be consulted in future.
When you are asked questions, it is best to be honest if you don't know the answer. Rather than saying, "I don't know, sorry," try offering suggestions or assistance" I'm sorry,I don't know the answer to that, but maybe George can help you out-he was talking about that the other day." In this instance i and in others, good listening skills may allow you to identify and defuse conflicts before they become too problematic.
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