Article Abstract:
Interpersonal skills should be assessed as part of employee performance evaluations to promote high employee morale and job satisfaction. At South Bend, Indiana's Memorial Hospital, a personnel program originally designed to ensure the comfort of patients, known as the "guest relations" program, has been expanded to apply to employee relations. The key to the program is recognizing that interpersonal skills are part of an employee's competence rating. Guest relations criteria that can be quantifiably evaluated are identified, including: answering telephone calls within three rings; greeting people in a friendly matter before discussing business; wearing name badges; and knocking before entering a room. These courtesy criteria are supported by personnel policies that stress: explaining the guest relations program to job applicants; emphasizing guest relations in employee orientation programs; developing training courses to teach guest relations skills; ensuring that managers conform to guest relations standards; and positively reinforcing guest relations behavior with employee recognition programs. The benefits of the guest relations personnel policies are also discussed.
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Article Abstract:
Successful handling of difficult individuals entails looking for behavior patterns. Three behavior patterns that can interfere with smooth, working relationships are: in-control and unresponsive; not in control and responsive; and not in control and unresponsive. Cases are presented and suggestions offered for managing each of these patterns. A four-part action method is suggested for engaging the difficult person in productive discussion: setting the person at ease, exchanging viewpoints, resolving disagreements, and designing a mutually agreeable plan for action.
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Article Abstract:
People should evaluate a new job opportunity or project carefully before accepting the position. The manager should ask what the job entails, how it should be done, and whether the job can be done. Supervisors may rush into a job in their eagerness to please management that proves impossible to do. The first step is to have the job's responsibilities defined clearly. The manager should also ensure having the authority, resources, and support needed to accomplish the task.
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