Interpersonal Communication Empathy at Work

Question: Discuss about theInterpersonal Communicationfor Empathy at Work. Answer: Introduction Communication is an essence of human existence. It is quite difficult for an individual to survive being isolated from others and being cut out of the communication process. In this respect it is noteworthy that interpersonal communication skills are essential to appease the needs of interactions that are essential part of the human life. Development of interpersonal skills, hence, becomes essential for enhancing other life skills. Proper enhancement in interpersonal communication skills is necessary to prove ones worth as a social being. Social scenarios are almost always in demand of good interpersonal communication skills, and such skills are an essential part of ones academic and professional life. Hence, a sincere individual striving to accomplish success in the academic and professional life must indulge in the process of getting his/her interpersonal communication skills being evaluated by others. The feedbacks received from such evaluation can be of great help in terms of und erstanding the ways in which one may improve on his/her interpersonal communication skills in an appropriate manner. Willing to enhance my own interpersonal communication skills, and striving to ascertain the areas of communication in which I have excelled, I indulged myself in the process of getting my interpersonal communication skills evaluated by one of my close friends. I know this friend for long, and he has not only been my classmate, but also my guide and philosopher in different aspects of my life. To determine the efficacy of my interpersonal communication skills in times of managing conflict I did ask him to provide feedback on how I communicate in the course of managing conflict in my personal life. When I asked him if I have a wide repertoire of response styles in terms of managing conflict, or if my response in such situation is always the same, he did provide some specific answers. What he told was that, in terms of managing conflict, my approach is always typical. He did respond that in every conflicting situation I tend to focus on the personality on the persons involved in the con flict rather than focusing on their behaviors and the events. Moreover, when I did ask him if I am able to choose the most effective way of managing conflict, he told me that even though I try to do so, I always lack the patience of listening to the point of view of the persons contradicting me in times of conflict. Moreover, he did inform me that it is due to lacking some essential interpersonal communication skills needed for managing conflict that I usually fail to satisfy those others who are involved in the conflict. Furthermore, to ascertain if I am capable of lending help to others in times of their need, I did ask my friend about my interpersonal communication skills in this respect. My friend told that I am a helpful person who has got two most important interpersonal skills needed to emerge as a helpful individual, viz. I am sympathetic and I am empathetic. He told me that I am a person who is able to put myself in another persons shoes when that person is in need of my he lp. I am able to recognize the emotions of the person who is in need of help, and that I am also able to understand that persons perspective and reality (Mind Tools, 2017). Finally, to ascertain the degree of my interpersonal communication skills in terms of handling criticisms, I did ask my friend if I am able to perform the behavior effectively. My friend did let me know that I am usually unable to channelize criticism in the positive direction. He told me that he had watched me in the past lowering my self-esteem after receiving criticism, and he made me understand that in terms of handling criticisms I obviously lack some basic skills. Receiving the feedback from my friend I did realize that in some aspects of life I do lack some vital interpersonal communication skills. I am good at helping others because I am a sympathetic and empathetic person. But I am not at all good at managing conflict or handling criticisms. I have understood that in order to manage conflict I have to develop my listening skill (How to Handle Conflict in the Workplace, 2015). I have realized that in order to develop my interpersonal skills in respect of conflict management, I must try to develop the skill of focusing on the conflicting situation and the behaviors of the persons involved in conflict, rather than focusing on the involved parties personalities (How to Handle Conflict in the Workplace, 2015). Moreover, receiving the feedback from my friend I have also understood that, to handle criticisms effectively I must use them in the positive way by improving on the negative sides of mine pointed out by others (SkillsYouNeed.com, 2017). I must, as a part of the process of developing my interpersonal skills, always try to transform destructive criticisms into constructive ones. And by working on such improvements I may be able to develop my interpersonal communication skills. References How to Handle Conflict in the Workplace (2015). Retrieved February 3, 2017, from https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/supervising/conflict/handle.html Mind Tools (2017). Empathy at Work: Developing Skills to Understand Other People. Retrieved February 3, 2017, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/EmpathyatWork.htm SkillsYouNeed.com (2017). Dealing with Criticism. Retrieved February 3, 2017, from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/dealing-with-criticism.html