Self Management – Lesson 8

Developing Superior Interpersonal Skills

The basis of a good relationship between two people is open communication, honesty and trust.

Man is born a gregarious creature. To be alive in the world is to be connected to others, either emotionally, mentally or spiritually. The Quality of one’s life is determined primary by the quality of one’s relationships.

No dying person is particularly concerned about getting to the office. Rather, it is to be in the presence of close family, friends and colleagues. To develop good interpersonal skills, should therefore be a priority for everyone if they desire to live a fulfilling life.

Some people are born with exceptional interpersonal skills. They relate naturally to others, are well-liked, have all the essential qualities of empathy, tact, and trustworthiness which make their company a joy to be in. However these are the gifted few.

The majority of people have only reasonable, or offer poor, interpersonal skills, for a variety of reasons, and are either shy or not people-orientated. In these cases a lack of good, or even superior interpersonal skills, will become a major barrier or obstacle to their development, either at home or in the workplace.

The purpose of this lecture is to assist everyone to better understand their interpersonal skills and suggest pointers for improvement.