Admin's Assistant

Ways to improve your office people skills

Ever notice that when people complain about their boss or co-workers it's almost always about how they interact with others?

“She's always yelling at me,” “he doesn't appreciate my hard work,” and “they don't listen to me” are frequently heard complaints that not only should be immediately addressed but are also detrimental to employee morale. You may not have any power over other’s people skills, but you can make sure that you're not causing others to complain about you.

Treat others how you would like to be treated. For instance, nobody likes to be yelled at and doing so actually makes things worse. Regardless of what they have done, yelling at someone, especially in front of others, is disrespectful and will critically ruin working relationships.

Say "please" and "thank you." Your co-worker or employee may be occupationally obligated to do what you tell them, but that doesn't give you the right to demand anything without any courtesy. Just because they have to do it doesn’t mean that they have to do it as well as they can.

Listen to the people you work with. Everyone has something important to contribute and failing to really listen to them could seriously hurt the bottom line. People can tell when you're not really listening to them, which will cause a drop in morale and productivity. Maintain eye contact, nod to show you understand what they are saying, and respond with your own thoughts.

Be honest and eliminate gossip. If you withhold or stretch the truth someone will likely discover the deception. Remember that it's better for people to get angry at the truth than get angry at half-accurate gossip and the fact that you kept the truth from them.

Finally, be fair and sincere with everything that you do. Respect is earned and showing people that you actually care about their needs is critical for a positive working environment. Don't let negative situations continue and be sure to make fast, but well thought out, decisions that make everyone feel like they won. People are more productive and happy when they feel they are appreciated and everyone is working toward the same goal.

Do you work with someone who has terrible office people skills? Tell us about it!