1. Managing interpersonal
relationship in the workplace
Fadiran
Omowumi

2. Objectives
Understand:
-Strategies in managing interpersonal relationship.
-Special expectations and difficulties involved in
workplace relationship.
-Role of interpersonal relationships within the
larger communication networks of organizational
life.

3. What’s an organization?
• Organizations are groups of people but the
formal use of teams as a way of organizing
work.
• According to Luce, 1968: Its virtually
impossible to be successful in business
without being successful in groups because
team communication is consistently named as
a key skill for business success.

4. Relationship management
Creating
relationship
Maintaining
relationship

5. Creating Relationship
• Naturally, most people don’t reach out to
strangers. The few who do tend to become
entertainment/sales people and the rest judge
themselves as “shy” because they don’t act
the same way.
• Good communicators simply learn to
overcome their reticence and make the
connections they need to make people.

6. Maintaining Relationship
• 70% of workplace learning is informal
meaning that when people are talking to each
other at work, they are actually learning to do
their jobs better.
• Friendlier workers are more effective
communicators, more productive and trusted
more by employers and co-workers.

7. Maintaining Relationship cont’d
• They are more concerned with non-verbal
cues of a conversation, more I n tune with
other people and thus avoid
misunderstandings.
• Humphries, 1998 stated that “companies that
foster a civil, respectful work environment
have fewer labor problems and better
customer relations.

8. Relationship with co-workers
• Many employers define “good
communication” as an ability to get along with
others and behave pleasantly in the workplace
but this attribute is more of a personality trait
than a communication skill.
• No matter how you feel, always learn to
project a positive attribute.

9. Understand:
• - Workplace and social assumptions are not the same. Its
important to know when to use your ‘work’ personality and
when you should treat a co-worker like a ‘friend’.
Example: On a given day, you find yourself greeting a co-worker
you have missed during an illness, then providing the
same person with some negative feedback on some work she
did for you, then positive recognition for her effort and finish
the day with a formal, unsmiling goodbye as you leave the
office while she has a client present. Each person needs to
move across between ‘friend and co-worker role’ in order to
get along in the workplace.

10. • Understand:
The relationship is long term.
Once you accept a career position, you have to assume you
will be working with the same people on a long term.
Example. You will spend 8-10 hours in the office with your co-workers
and depending on them to help you out at times.
Even if you change departments/companies, you might probably
not change industries because people who work with you or for
you now might be your bosses or valuable customers in the
future. You simply cant afford to make enemies or ignore the
longterm effects of poor interpersonal communication..

11. Work expectations includes:
• - Exhibit a positive attitude. People who are
friendly, happy and willing to go the extra mile to
get along are highly valued for those attributes.
• -Sending an action message. The real test of your
action orientation comes in the way you handle
your interpersonal communication.
Eg - Regardless of what you SAY you will do, people
will look at what you actually DO.
-Regardless of what you SAY, people will listen to
HOWyou say it.

12. Work expectations cont’d
• -Don’t make promises you cant and wont keep
especially if you are not ready to put the
commitment on your agenda and keep it.
• -Call back immediately. Don’t ignore voice
mails, email or phone messages/calls.
• -Provide information as promised and in a
format that makes it possible for others to use
it. Don’t send an email without its
attachments.

13. Work expectations cont’d
• -Embrace change. No matter how unrealistic the
boss’s idea, save your doubts, concerns or
suggestions for a later discussion of its
implementation.
• -Proactively communicate with others. Greet
people when you come into a room. Even if you
don’t feel friendly, don’t let shyness or a bad
mood keep you from interacting with strangers,
new colleagues, customers or the boss.

14. • Willingness to communicate is a developed
skill, not something most people are born
with. A lack of confidence should not be a
signal not to communicate in a work
environment, it should be a signal that you
need to spend more time becoming
comfortable with that particular group of
people.

15. Work expectations cont’d
• -Don’t complain. When you are having a abd day, suffer alone. Its
tempting to share the pain with everyone around you but you will
just be perceived as a PAIN. Its much better to have a reputation as
someone who is cheerful in spite of adversity.
• -Please and thank you go a long way in the workplace. Even when
they are busy with important work, people respond to the basic
niceties of social interaction and you will find them more willing to
work with you if they are comfortable with the personal
relationships.
• -Constructively discuss problems and concerns. Whatever issues
you have with others, communicate about them in a pleasant,
constructive way. Begin with the assumption that everyone is trying
to get a job done and always approach each problem as an
opportunity to solve it together.

16. Work expectations cont’d
-Also, show that you are willing to help others get their work
done.
Note: Some people worry about being taken advantage of by
others than they do about the welfare of the people. Most co-workers
perceive this attitude as a negative one and it will
virtually lose you the support of others and often your job.
-Don’t ever, ever gossip about others. Personal information
aside. Don’t discuss negative aspect of another persons work
unless you are part of management.

17. Work expectations cont’d
• -Don’t hold grudges. If you do have an issue with
a co-worker, don’t dwell on it. Deal with it
professionally and continue to communicate
positively.
• -Always acknowledge the effort of your team
members/co-workers.
• -Go out of your way to avoid listening to other
peoples conversation.
• -Don’t use speaker phones if others are present
without the callers permission.

18. Summary
• Carry out your day-to-day activity in the
workplace in a pleasant manner such that you
will be respected by your superiors,
colleagues, and subordinates because this is a
key concept in achieving and maintaining
good relationship in the workplace