{"id":3733,"date":"2022-10-31T23:47:14","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T22:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/?p=3733"},"modified":"2022-11-07T14:43:22","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T13:43:22","slug":"what-executives-must-learn-about-interpersonal-communication-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2022\/10\/31\/what-executives-must-learn-about-interpersonal-communication-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"What Executives Must Learn About Interpersonal Communication Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I saw the pre-programme brief, and I nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was scheduled to deliver two sessions on nonverbal and interpersonal communication skills in a management development programme. Twenty-four mid-level executives from a leading health management provider in Lagos, Nigeria, had signed up for sessions and completed the pre-programme questionnaire. My eagle eyes zeroed in on one of the desirables for my sessions: managing the younger generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the insights from the prospective participants on the need to hone their interpersonal skills, I designed the programme to be relevant and interactive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve noticed that organisations are increasingly requesting interpersonal skills training in workshops, seminars, and programmes. And I know why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the re-emergence of the discourse on employee disengagement, skillfully re-packaged as \u2018quiet quitting’\u2014and we\u2019ve got the pandemic to \u2018thank\u2019 for the trend\u2014people are re-assessing their priorities. Those who have decided to focus on their family life and other commitments have quit. And those who can\u2019t leave, for whatever reasons, have simply found ways to modify their work and manage their stress levels. They\u2019ve developed coping mechanisms for dealing with toxic supervisors\/bosses and demanding workloads. \u2018Quiet quitting\u2019<\/a> might not be new, but it\u2019s still negatively impacting relationships at work. Employees are \u2018checking out\u2019 mentally and are withholding discretionary efforts that aid productivity. They are getting the barest minimum done and are unapologetic about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here\u2019s the thing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While external factors might trigger the drive for ‘quiet quitting’ (pandemic, global recession etc.), executives and unit heads can help reduce the tendency for direct reports to become disengaged by improving their interpersonal skills. The starting point involves two elements: honing their listening skills<\/a> and empowering<\/a> their colleagues to do their best work so they find meaning in their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My sessions were well-received, and I was fortunate to receive feedback that reflected the programme\u2019s usefulness. But more importantly, I gleaned two critical insights from my interactions with the executives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1) ‘Open’ body language behaviours boost trust<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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First, it was pertinent to create an awareness of the impact of body language on people’s perceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To spur discussions, I played Mark Bowden\u2019s insightful TEDx talk on the importance of being \u2018inauthentic\u2019 with your body language. The overall premise of the video is that you should become intentional about displaying \u2018open\u2019 body language behaviours to trigger trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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