Leadership And Interpersonal Skills...

Leadership and Interpersonal Skills and why they are Critical to Organizations

Interpersonal and leadership skills are one of the most significant factors that are required in an organization. They are ones that are responsible for the rapid and easy development of the organizations. These skills enables organization’s leader to be in a position to lead by example and be in a good position also of coming up with good ideas and decisions necessary for the wellbeing and positive running of the organizations. Thus, leadership and interpersonal skills are analyzed in this paper and why they are critical to organizations.

Interpersonal skills also known as communication skills or people skills refer to the knowledge which an individual uses to interrelate with other peoples. Interpersonal skills include using skills like active listening and tone of voice; they consist of leadership and delegation (Tomlinson, 2004). It is how well you communicate with somebody and how well you conduct yourself or carry yourself. They also assist people to enhance their careers.

Interpersonal skills are used during social communications and interaction to attain certain effects or outcomes. The term interpersonal skills in applied often in business contexts to refer to the evaluation of an individual’s capability to operate in business organizations via social interactions and communication. It is how individuals communicate to one another.

Tomlinson (2004) states that s an illustration, it is understood generally that communicating respect for other individuals or specialists within an organization will allow one to reduce conflict while increasing assistance or participation in getting hold of information or accomplishing tasks. For example, it is recommended that a specialist use a deferential approach with language like excuse me, are you busy? I have an urgent issue to discuss with you if you have time at the moment, among others so as to interrupt someone who is at present preoccupied with the task of getting information that is required immediately. This enables the receiving specialist to make their own decision in regard to the significance of their current task against entering into a discussion with their workmates (Zenger & Folkman, 2002). Permitting the receiver of an urgent message to make decision independently the request and agree improve interaction will probably result to a higher quality interaction although it is understood generally that interrupting somebody with an urgent request will usually take priority. Use of these kinds of heuristics to attain better professional results generally leads to a specialist being positioned as one with good interpersonal skills. This evaluation usually takes place in formal and informal settings.

According to Zenger & Folkman (2002), having positive interpersonal skills raises the productivity in the organization because the number and rate of conflicts is reduced. It permits communication to be easy and comfortable in informal situations. Individuals with good interpersonal skills can control generally the emotion that rise in difficult circumstances and respond accordingly other than being overwhelmed by emotion. The following are some of the ways through which you can improve interpersonal skills:

• Think positively, and enter the attitude to work well with others and preserve good relationships.
• Learn to listen, specialists suggest listening 80% of the time while talking for only 20%.
• Be sensitive to others, this comprises not gossiping.
• Have a sense of humor suitable to your condition. Several people benefit from a good joke.
• Handle other with their experience with respect.
• Commend and accolade people when they deserve it.
• Don’t interrupt or try to upstage them with a story of your own when they are narrating a story.

For instance, Beatrice Vincent once asserted that your own attitude is reflected with your work mates hence incase your unfriendly, condescending and suspicious, you will find these unlovely characteristics echoed all about you. But you will bring out the best in the best in the individuals with whom you are going to spend most of your working hours incase you are on your best behavior (Zenger & Folkman, 2006).

On the other hand, leadership skills are very critical for successful management and helpful for an individual’s in any field of their choice. Executives from the human resource department of an organization search for candidates who have leadership qualities. It is their belief that an individual with such qualities can assist the firm or the organization to attain new levels in business and will also popularize the organization. Leadership qualities is made up of high qualification, capability to make sound decisions in regard to knowledge, communication skills, interpersonal skills, information and experience, and the capacity to multitask.

For instance, Harrison Barnes, the owner of Employment Crossing.com says that in order to succeed your career, you are supposed to have leadership skills. Your theoretical skills will assist you to solve problems. It will assist you to realize your problem and will enable you to work out better decisions (Zenger & Folkman, 2006). It will also assist you to recognize chances for innovation. It even permits you to select the significant information from a resource and use it towards solving a problem at hand.

For instance, Harrison Barnes believes that communication skills are very essential if you would like to develop your leadership skills. Your communication skills can assist you to change your ideas into actions and words. Consequently, you can appreciate your friends, peers and subordinates with this skill. You will have capability to ask essential questions and will also permit you to answer questions posed by others. Your presentation skills will be enhanced in both graphic and written formats (Fritz et al., 2004). You can also share information and develop rapport effectively with your coworkers whenever you have good communication skills.

The other significant aspect of a successful leader in any field is multitasking skills. Every worker is supposed to handle or rather perform many tasks together without errors moving stealthily into any of them. You are supposed to develop these multitasking skills so as to be successful in performing every task that is provided by the employer. You will have capability to negotiate with individuals, review operations and incorporate improvements in all duties that you perform. It also assists you to enhance your time management skills. You are supposed to learn on how to manage time accordingly since you are supposed to give the best to every task that is allocated to you. This will enable you to set priorities and maintain good standards within your performances, externally and internally.

Fritz et al. (2004) states that interpersonal skills are most significant skills with in addition to those mentioned above. At any point in time, you might have a number of subordinates working under you. You will be therefore required to guide them well in order to get the best from them. You are required to be a good coach and mentor. These skills will also enable you to work with different attitudes and cultures. It will assist you to have a good system in both within and outside the organization. You will have capability to perform at your optimum when working in a team with the cooperation and dedication of your team members.

John (1997) stipulates that having a good qualification helps immensely especially in today’s competitive world. It makes you stand out among the crowd. According to A. Harrison Barnes the candidate with a higher qualification is in more demand than the one with lesser qualification. This is due to a simple reason that the employers feel that greater knowledge will let an employee work with more efficiency and thus will be beneficial for the company. A degree is not only beneficial for the employer but also helps the employee to succeed in his or her career.

You require more degrees than the basic MBA and a business degree if you are looking for a career in the HR field. These basic degrees are not infrequent but you are supposed to be exceptional in order to catch the eyes of an employer. Employers are usually looking for individuals who have added degree in psychology, sociology, in addition to other areas of art. They ensure that the applicants whom they choose for the company are qualified just like themselves.

In modern day’s world, higher degree have become the standard of any employer who is in the procedure of employing candidates for his or her firm or organization. This is because a higher degree is significant for an employer and a worker (John, 1997). An employer will have a better future with a worker with higher degrees and workers will have good designation and will experience more growth and in the organization. This will eventually results to a good salary. Hence, it will permit an individual to live the lifestyle that he or she wishes to life.

In summery, leadership and interpersonal skills are the best think that anybody should have. This is because they are very critical to the organizational performance. Therefore, all employees and employers are supposed to have good interpersonal and leadership skills so as to be able to cope up with the emerging issues. Owners of businesses and organizations are thus supposed to hire employees who have and show high leadership and interpersonal skills. This is because an only worker who poses high leadership and interpersonal skills has the potential to increase quality and rate at which an organization is carrying out its performance and duties.

References

Fritz, S., Fritz, S., Lunde, J., Brown, W. and Banset, E. (2004). Interpersonal Skills for Leadership. New York: Prentice Hall.

John Batros, J. (1997). Leadership and interpersonal skills. Oxford: Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers

Tomlinson, H. (2004). Educational leadership: personal growth for professional development. New York: SAGE publishers.

Zenger, J. and Folkman, J. (2002). The extraordinary leader: turning good managers into great leaders. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.

Zenger, J. and Folkman, J. (2006). The Handbook for Leaders: 24 Lessons for Extraordinary Leadership. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.