While the importance of the “Critical Skills” is becoming even more evident in our national discourse, the value of a strong INTERPERSONAL SKILL is becoming even more obvious. In particular, the element of TEAMWORK is becoming paramount.
Numerous scholarly papers and articles have been written about the value of collaborative teams as being a necessary and desirable component of most endeavors. The conclusions reached by such papers are nearly unanimous in that effective collaborative teams exhibit important research outcomes – far beyond what can be accomplished by individuals working independently.
Accordingly, smart organizations with a keen eye on the future are creating and maintain collaborative research teams when team diversity (broadly defined) is effectively fostered and interpersonal skills are taught and practiced.
The “Interpersonal Skill,” in its broadest sense, is that skill that that enables you to demonstrate, through your interaction with others and your performance on the job, that you are a valued member of the team.
It is the kind of skill that verifies for an employer that you are actually worth the compensation that you receive.
Elements of the “Interpersonal – Teamwork” skill include such abilities that can be demonstrated by:
- Listening
- Respecting
- Helping
- Sharing
- Questioning
- Persuading
- Actively Participating
- Confidence
- Consensus Building
- Reliability
The Interpersonal Skill also incorporates and utilizes the concept of “Emotional Intelligence” – the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.