The simple truth is that being good at what you do simply isn't good enough if you can't work with people. Technical abilities may get you promoted into a management position, but it takes interpersonal skills to keep you there. Bob Wall explores first, what makes work relationships successful and what makes them fail. He then provides some common-sense steps you can take to improve work relationships that aren't working.



The most effective way to improve work relationships, says the author, is to learn to distinguish between personal and professional relationships. A professional relationship exists solely for the purpose of getting work accomplished, while personal relationships can have many purposes. In personal relationships there is an assumption of equality, while professional relationships are often hierarchical. Conflict at work is often based on miscommunication. We are often blind to how our behavior affects others, while we are very critical of the faults of others. When there isn't adequate communication, we often stereotype others as "aggressive jerks" or "incompetent" without understanding the issues or perspective of the other.



To confront conflict at work, you must first understand that most people honestly mean well, but often fail to understand how their behavior and attitudes affect others on the team. Unless someone tells them about it, how will they know they should change? This is true of your own behavior as well. You must be willing to listen to how others are affected by your behavior on the job.



The easiest way to begin fixing problems at work is to agree on goals, roles and procedures. The most common source of problems in teamwork is ambiguity. The team should begin by asking themselves:

· What goals are we going to accomplish?

· What role is expected of every team member?

· How will we coordinate our work with each other?