Mba 600

How can managers help develop their employees interpersonal skills in the workplace?

Raymon Sorial

University of Maryland University College

Author Note

This paper was prepared for AMBA 600, taught by Professor Cissé.

Executive Summary

Interpersonal skills are a vital element to success in the workplace, however, many individuals lack the basic fundamentals of these skills. Whether a college student or seasoned professional, developing interpersonal skills is the responsibility of the individual. Within an organization, managers have the responsibility to identify, train, evaluate and provide feedback to help employees succeed at work. By further developing interpersonal skills, managers will find performance levels exceeding expectations.

There are several points to clarify to demonstrate the importance of high levels of interpersonal skills in the workplace. First, defining the meaning of interpersonal skills or soft skills, explaining the advantages of mastering these skills, understanding why there is a lack of skilled college graduates and finally, determining how managers can implement training relevant interpersonal skills at work.

The goal is to gain a clear understanding of different approaches managers can pursue to help employees develop interpersonal skills. There are several teaching methods applied at academic levels and within corporations. One method is to allow students to develop their interpersonal skills through analytical reports. Within an MBA program, students learn a skill through practice and feedback. At organizations, managers can evaluate their employees’ emotional intelligence as studies show a direct link to interpersonal skills within sales.

There are many studied methods of how students and employees develop interpersonal skills. It is important to clearly identify these necessary skills, whether verbal communication or decision making, and whether taught at school or at work, which can improve many...