JULY/AUGUST 2017 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 99
Whether you are managing a business,
interacting with clients and customers,
working in an office environment or simply
raising a family, much of your success is
predicated on how effectively you interact
with others.
With that in mind, here are eight ways
to develop interpersonal skills and become
well-liked by your peers:
#1: Be Happy and Spread Cheer -
When everyone feels good about themselves,
the work environment improves drastically.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sandler Training
provides proven, effective sales, corporate
and management training to high-achieving
companies and individuals throughout
Tampa Bay. Call Jim Marshall or Clint
Babcock at (813) 287-1500.
Spread cheer in your workplace by offering
praise to coworkers that met goals or
had a recent success. Offering positive
reinforcement allows people to feel more
valued and motivated.
#2: Consider Coworkers Feelings -
If you are aware that someone is having a
difficult time outside of work, take this into
account before allowing your frustration to
come out. Consider other perspectives to
become a more understanding teammate,
and encourage others to practice supportive
behavior.
#3: Become an Active Listener –
Don’t just sit back and let coworkers talk.
Make the effort to interact and converse
with others to become an active listener.
Fully comprehending the points made and
being able to restate these ideas shows
your coworkers you really care about their
opinion.
#4: Ask Questions - Allow your
coworker to finish talking, then paraphrase
the highlights of the conversation and ask
insightful questions about the discussion.
Asking questions shows your coworker that
you are not merely being polite, but are
dynamically engaged in the situation.
#5: Include and Respect Everyone -
Go out of your way to make small talk with
an employee with whom you have not yet
personally interacted. Mutual respect creates
a stronger bond with your coworkers and
promotes more cohesive teamwork.
#6: Act as a Moderator - Use softening
statements to mediate, such as “I understand”
or “That makes a lot of sense.” Make an effort
to understand both sides of a disagreement
and walk both coworkers through the
opposing position. Allow your coworkers
to hear the discussion objectively before
reaching a decision.
#7: Think Before Speaking – Avoid
blurting out the first thing that comes to
mind. Give yourself just a few more seconds
to think before you speak in order to prevent
disastrous workplace misunderstandings.
#8: Avoid Frequent Negativity -
You do not want to be “the whiner” in your
workplace. Focus on the positive aspects of
your job that get you excited about going
into work each day.
Strong interpersonal communication skills
set the foundation for a happy and functional
office (and home!). Building interpersonal
skills starts with recognizing the need for
personal and professional growth. As a
former mentor used to say, “Each of us has
the ability to light up a room: some when
they enter, some when they leave!”
IMPROVING YOUR
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
By Jim Marshall and Clint Babcock
Sandler Training
of Tampa Bay