What they are
Relational aspects are an essential part of an organization’s structure and can influence many elements of a more individual nature.
Feeling part of a group, supported and valued, enhances and increases motivation, achievement of results, perceived well-being, and the ability to overcome stressful situations at work (e.g., overtime or shifts).
Challenges of Relationships in the Workplace
Maintaining a collaborative rather than a conflictual atmosphere, as well as satisfying relational dynamics both among peers and within a hierarchical structure, is not at all trivial.
Working in an organization, in fact, implies having to spend most of the day with people who were not chosen and with whom one may not necessarily feel in harmony.
For this reason, it is necessary to continuously employ effective interpersonal skills to learn to preserve and improve existing relationships.
Effectiveness in Interpersonal Relationships
But what does it mean to learn to be effective from an interpersonal point of view?
It means achieving the desired changes while respecting the relationship with the other, but not forgetting to respect one’s personal goals and oneself (respect for one’s values and principles).
Maintaining this balance requires employing skills that can be trained and enhanced, such as the ability to ask for what one needs, act in a way that the other accepts a refusal, manage conflicts, analyze a situation and evaluate one’s goals, avoid automatic and dysfunctional actions like conflict avoidance or sudden outbursts of anger or even relationship termination, balance personal priorities against the other’s demands.
