What’s the primary source of frustration for you in your organization? If you’re like many, the inability to move people towards a certain goal ranks high on your list. Interpersonal relationships can be tough. If only everyone saw it your way.
The reality, of course, is that this is a two way street. Their inability to think, act and do, like you. Maybe their inability to listen to instruction and to understand. But it’s your inability, too. Perhaps your inability to speak in a way they’ll hear. To lead or instruct in a manner that encourages others to follow.
When communications break down in the workplace, the results can be disastrous. Missed deadlines, poor work product, lack of engagement and energy within the workplace.
So, what to do becomes the obvious question. Do you work on the Interpersonal relationship or the Intrapersonal one?
The Interpersonal is the relationship you have with others: your co-workers, your peers, your direct reports and your superiors. The Intrapersonal relationship is one you have with yourself. How well you know yourself: your strengths and weaknesses.
Opening up the door to more effective communication and leadership through training, coaching or consulting is a good first step. Often, the ability of a professional to view the issues clearly and help structure better alternatives, is invaluable.
Recently, we’ve worked with a well-managed organization that suffered from some fairly specific communication lapses. In fact, these lapses only hampered the employees from enjoying additional benefits, but the larger issues of lack of trust and the inability to communicate effectively, became clear. Left alone, the employees would have become far less engaged and energized. Some specific fixes and coaching at the leadership level have gone a long way to solving the issues.
While it’s logical to offer training for employees, we often suggest a dual approach of working with both leadership and employees. Together, this is far more effective than a singular approach. Of course, the decision is organization driven. Too often, the decision becomes price driven, which is almost always the wrong approach. Let us help you customize the training, coaching or consulting solution that fits you and your organization.
Boxer Advisors, LLC, is a full-service consulting, training and coaching firm with more than 50 professional consultants, facilitators, and coaches and carefully selected partners providing services to Federal agencies and Fortune 1000 companies since 1996.
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