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Enjoying Your Work Richard Brislin |
Interpersonal, intrapersonal
managerial skills equally vitalQuestion: I attended a management workshop last week, and the speaker talked about interpersonal skills for managers. Then, I thought I heard her use the term "intrapersonal skills." Did I hear wrong, or is there a difference between interpersonal and intrapersonal skills?
Answer: The terms refer to different skills that managers should bring to their workplaces. Interpersonal skills refer to how well managers get along with people, whether they are able to show respect for the contributions of employees and whether they are sensitive to the viewpoints of others. Such skills include listening carefully, not interrupting others and finishing their sentences, and demonstrating genuine concern when employees have problems. Many times, employees will have concerns but will be uncomfortable bringing them to the attention of their bosses. Managers with interpersonal skills will sense when employees have such difficulties and will encourage them to share their viewpoints. Such managers develop a sensitivity that is much like an antenna that picks up subtle signals concerning employee problems.
Employees want to work for managers who show respect for their past experiences, qualifications and contributions. When people do not share the same cultural background, there can be difficulties since people might not attach the same value to certain experiences and qualifications. Managers from the mainland sometimes have problems in Hawaii. They may have gone to prestigious private universities and may have worked in New York City and Washington, D.C. If they move to Hawaii and look at the resumes of locals, they will find that many have not lived for long periods of time on the mainland. Further, the job experiences that locals list might be unfamiliar to mainland managers. This unfamiliarity can lead to judgments that locals have not had experiences that are sufficiently challenging or important. Such managers often have a short tenure in Hawaii because they are unable to show respect for others. If they remain in Hawaii, they learn that their mainland experiences are likely to be different but are not necessarily better.
Intrapersonal skills refer to knowledge about the self and the ability to view oneself objectively. Managers with intrapersonal skills can ask questions such as, How am I coming across to my employees? Am I being overbearing? Am I demonstrating that I have respect for their work? How could I improve as a manager? The development of intrapersonal skills requires a great deal of self-insight. Some people find it easy to comment on other people's problems but are blind to their own shortcomings. Some managers develop intrapersonal skills through feedback sessions with trusted mentors. For example, after an especially busy and stressful month, managers might ask senior executives to give them constructive feedback on how they handled themselves under pressure.
Managers can improve if they are willing to invest time and effort. For example, if they have the intrapersonal knowledge that they often come across as aloof, they can practice behaviors that could challenge this reputation. They might try self-deprecating humor or do volunteer work in community organizations where they will interact with employees as equals.
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The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Given the amount of time people spend at work, job satisfaction should ideally be high and it should contribute to general life happiness. Enjoyment can increase as people learn more about workplace psychology, communication, and group influences.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration, University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu