Interpersonal Skills in Business

FORT KNOX, KY, UNITED STATES

11.07.2017

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Career Program 26

**By: Amos Brown, Management Analyst G8, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky**

To build and sustain a professional business and a reliable workforce, one key element resides in training employees.

Throughout the ages of time, people have held meetings, conspired with others and even put on that false Happy and “Hi, I’m your friend” face in an attempt to get action completed. Whether it be needing to gather information, requiring documentation from a third party, or something as simple as obtaining a pencil without having to go through some supply ordering process, people utilize their interpersonal skills. Just like any other skills that need occasional training to continue honing, interpersonal skills also needs honing from time to time. The ability to recognize our feelings and emotions and motivating ourselves assist in effectively being receptive to training and honing the skill of interpersonal communication and interaction.

To continue being a competitive business in an ever changing global market, agencies need to have a high performing, yet approachable workforce. Let us talk about an approachable workforce for just a moment. As a society we have certain expectations of people in general, such as: we don’t like to hold conversations with people that complain about everything, we even end to steer clear of those that want to talk about anything and everything regardless of subject. Using interpersonal skills, many times, means knowing when and how to adjust your attitude, mood and even body language to effectively communicate with other people.

You are a tattoo artist. A man comes to your place of business and says to you, “I need a tattoo of a cross with the name of so and so on it. I need it right now. And I need it to be perfect. I expect nothing less and will not pay for a less than perfect product.” As the artist, you might not put forth your best effort and may even be tempted to be pretty heavy handed with the needle to give that man a little pain because of the approach he made. Now, using some of this interpersonal skills, the next guy comes in and talks to you like you are his next door neighbor. Asks you for information about receiving the exact tattoo. You even offer up to him, as the artist, to put his own special touches into the art. You will probably receive a much better conversation, and the artist will likely put forth a much better effort providing you with a much better product than that of the previous guy. The approach, the conversation, the attitude, and the overall humanity of the interaction made a huge difference between the two transactions.

Business is much like the tattoo artist transactions. Using the statement, “Treat others as you wish to be treated”, will get you a long way in your business transactions as well as help make your journey through life a much more enjoyable experience.

• Date Taken: 11.07.2017
• Date Posted: 11.15.2017 09:42
• Story ID: 254398
• Location: FORT KNOX, KY, US
• Hometown: FORT KNOX, KY, US