Continuous Assessment 01

Course Code: ENM 398-1

Course Title: Career Development III

Name: K.L.K.Dinani

Registration Number: UWU/ENM/19/024

Degree Program: Entrepreneurship and Management

Year / Semester: 3rd year 1st semester

Date: 06.03.2023
01. Discuss the importance of effective interpersonal communication and relationship
management with appropriate examples.

Interpersonal communication is the process of exchange of information, ideas and feelings

between two or more people through verbal or non-verbal methods. interpersonal communication
is how two people communicate. It can mean sharing information and expressing thoughts or
feelings, either face-to-face or through a medium, such as a phone, email, or social media.
Interpersonal communication refers to verbal and non-verbal communication, including body
language, facial expressions, and tone. And, interpersonal communication is how two people
communicate. It can mean sharing information and expressing thoughts or feelings, either face-to-
face or through a medium, such as a phone, email, or social media. Interpersonal communication
refers to verbal and non-verbal communication, including body language, facial expressions, and
tone. Interpersonal communication can be divided into four categories. They are oral
communication, written communication, nonverbal communication and listening. Examples of
Interpersonal Communication are active listening, body language, openness, teamwork, empathy,
critical thinking, responsibility etc. It can help you understand others, not simply what they say,
but also how they see the world.

Even if you haven’t heard of interpersonal communication, you do it every day without necessarily
thinking about it. Essentially, it’s the process of people exchanging ideas, information, feelings
and intent through messages and signals. Interpersonal communication consists of any exchanges
between people, this can be face-to-face but can also exist online or over the phone. The messages
people get across to each other can be verbal and nonverbal – we communicate not only through
what we say but also through things like body language, tone of voice, facial expressions and
gestures.

We make sense of the world and connect with others by exchanging messages, usually by talking
or texting. Strong interpersonal communication can help you strengthen the bond you have with
others and be a trusted and dependable friend. In your professional life, these skills can help you
climb the corporate ladder, have more opportunities, and reach your personal goals. Interpersonal
skills are behaviors that help you interact with others effectively, in the workplace, school, or in
the larger world. Some examples of interpersonal communication skills include active listening,
openness, and empathy. What makes interpersonal communication skills a great asset to have that
they are transferable. For instance, active listening and openness are great skills to have if your
kids tell you about their problems but they’re also extremely helpful if you need to mediate a
conflict at work. Although these situations require different behavior from you, you can utilize
your interpersonal communication skills to help you make the best of any situation.

Relationship management is what an organization undertakes to establish and maintain

engagement with its customers and business partners. In here, effective interpersonal
communication can help also relationship management. Interpersonal communication in the future
world, With the online world constantly growing, it created new and interesting avenues to
communicate and connect with others. There are numerous benefits to this new type of
interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is conflict resolution, whether you
need to stop a fight between brothers or a silent conflict between co-workers, difficult situations
need conflict resolution strategies. There are many kinds of communication. We distinguish one
type of communication from others based on the number of persons involved, the formality of the
interaction, and the opportunity to give and receive feedback. For example, since intrapersonal
communication occurs when you think or talk to yourself, it requires only a single communicator—
you! In contrast to intrapersonal communication, interpersonal communication is the ongoing,
ever-changing process that occurs when you interact with another person, forming a dyad, which
is defined as two people communicating with each other. Both individuals in a dyad share the
responsibility for determining the nature of a relationship by creating meaning from the interaction.
Thus, anytime we communicate with another person, whether a friend, parent, coworker, or
employer, we are communicating interpersonally. It is very common for communicators to use
digital media to get their messages across to one another or the public by blogging, texting,
tweeting, Instant messaging, e-mailing, or posting in a social networking site such as Facebook
Interpersonal communication can help you figure out how to move forward because you might
listen to both sides and work with them, not against them. Active listening is essential for
communicating effectively and preventing misunderstanding at work, in your personal
relationships, at school, and even with children.

Your ability to speak clearly, confidently and appropriately for the situation can help you
communicate effectively with others. Choose the correct tone and vocabulary for your audience.
For instance, speak formally and professionally during meetings and presentations. Avoid using
complex or technical language when trying to explain things or when talking to customers. Ask
questions when you need to clarify information. Active listening is the ability to pay full attention
to someone when they speak and to truly understand what they are saying. You are engaged with
the speaker and show that by giving verbal and nonverbal responses, including eye contact,
nodding and smiling. Active listening also involves paying attention not just to what someone is
saying but also to their nonverbal cues. Ask and answer questions to show that you are listening
and interested. Active listening is important for communicating effectively and preventing
misunderstandings at work. It allows you to understand the information or instructions your co-
workers or manager give you. It can also encourage colleagues to share their ideas and collaborate.
Nonverbal communication, your posture, expression and gestures can say just as much as your
words. When communicating with coworkers and managers, be aware of your nonverbal cues as
much as what you say. Gestures like nodding, smiling and being relaxed are all signs that you’re
listening to someone and are engaged in the conversation. This said, avoid other gestures,
expressions and posture such as crossed arms, restless behavior and shifting your eyes.

We can use your interpersonal communication skills to help resolve issues and disagreements in
the workplace, whether they involve you and a colleague or other parties. This might involve skills
such as negotiation, persuasion and understanding both sides of the argument. Listen closely to
everyone involved and try to find a solution that benefits all of you. Good conflict resolution skills
can lead to a more positive and collaborative work environment. They can also earn you respect
and trust from your colleagues. We can identify importance of interpersonal communication as,

Identify areas of interpersonal communication you can strengthen by asking for feedback from
colleagues, managers, family or friends.

Learn good interpersonal skills by observing coworkers, company leaders and professionals you
admire and respect. Watch and listen to how they communicate and what nonverbal cues they use.
Note details such as their tone of voice, speed of speaking and how they engage with others. Apply
those traits to your own interactions and relationships.

Wait until you are calm to have conversations with colleagues. You are more likely to
communicate confidently and effectively if you have a positive attitude and are not stressed or
upset.
Put yourself in positions where you can build relationships and use your interpersonal skills. For
example, you might join a group that has organized meetings or social events. This could be an
industry-specific group you found through a professional organization or a shared interest or hobby
group. Attend events to learn and observe how to communicate and behave with others.

Put away your phone or mobile device when interacting or communicating with others. Give them
your full attention and avoid the temptation to check your email or look at a text message. By
staying focused, you can listen and understand more effectively.

Sign up for workshops or courses that can help you improve your interpersonal skills. Tools such
as basic online videos might be free, while you might have to pay for more advanced or in-person
training. If you want to develop your verbal communication skills, for instance, you might take a
public speaking course.

So, Interpersonal communication skills can help you be productive in the workplace, build strong
and positive relationships with your colleagues and complete team projects smoothly and
effectively. The benefits of good interpersonal skills can affect the morale and productivity of your
entire team or department. Interpersonal communication skills can improve your personal and
professional relationships by helping you to express your thoughts and convey your intent clearly.
Additionally, you’ll be more able to understand and empathise with others due to your listening
skills.

However, struggling with aspects of interpersonal communication does not make you incapable or
worth less than anyone else. There are many reasons why you might find parts of communication
difficult, including being on the autistic spectrum, having social anxiety, and dealing with other
neurological differences or mental health struggles.

Nobody should have to change who they are in order to be more palatable to others – but it can be
helpful and even freeing to have a better understanding of the different types of interpersonal
communication.

Communication skills are one of the most essential soft skills, coming in handy throughout all
areas of life, including relationships, your career, and negotiations. Interpersonal communication,
which is a huge part of everyday life.
02. Elaborate effective ways of dealing with conflicts with examples.

Conflict can be defined as a disagreement with somebody about something. It can also be defined
as a disagreement in thought, opinion, belief, action, inaction or even an emotion. There are also
many variations of conflict that we encounter in our day to day lives such as physical conflict,
emotional conflict, and intellectual conflict. t is difficult to predict what will cause conflict. It can
be anything from a misunderstanding to a breach of trust. Conflict can even arise out of nothing,
but there are some common causes of conflict. Conflict is in inevitable part of our everyday lives.
Since no two people view things in the exact same manner, disagreement will most certainly arise at
some point in time. Conflict is simply a difference of opinion and is considered to be a normal part
of our everyday lives. There are several different forms of conflict and not all of them are considered
to be bad. These include,

Unclear expectations: It is not uncommon for people to feel frustrated when they are unclear about
expectations. This can lead to conflicts because it becomes less clear who is responsible for doing
what. However, if expectations are clearly stated, you can avoid many of these conflicts and create
a more productive environment.

Lack of communication: In a business setting, lack of communication can lead to

misunderstandings between employees. For example, an employee might be unhappy with their
role in the company or confused about their job description when the boss never directly mentions
it. Furthermore, when employees are unclear about what they are being asked to do, they are bound
to make mistakes.
Lack of trust: There are many ways to construct norms of trust in communities. One way is to draw
on existing ties or social mechanisms. Another way is to engage in social transactions with
strangers. Conflict arises when there are different normative approaches to establishing trust one
based on similarity and the other based on distance.

The loss of power: Many relationships can fall apart when the power balance shifts. When one
person loses their job, for example, it can cause resentment and frustration to grow. They may feel
that they’re not pulling their weight in the relationship and be resentful towards the other person
who is still working. This can lead to a dramatic shift in both dynamics and communication
patterns which could eventually lead to conflict.
Disagreements over values: Values are a major part of our identity. We have them because they
help us decide what we want to do and who we want to be. They can be very personal and
individualistic, but they can also help us connect with people. Regardless, disagreements over
values can cause conflict when it comes to fulfilling certain roles in a society or family unit.

So, People usually react to conflicts in one of the following ways:

Trying to calm the situation: When faced with a conflict, the person may try to stop the conflict by
trying to calm the situation. The person may also attempt to diffuse the tension by changing the
subject of conversation or attempting humour.

Withdrawing from the conflict: People may attempt to avoid a conflict by withdrawing from it.
This can help to prevent the escalation of the conflict, which might cause greater harm.

Trying to compromise: Finding a compromise is a useful technique to solve a conflict.

Compromising means giving up a little of something so that all involved parties can achieve what
they want. We can also say that it means that the interests of both parties are met as much as
possible, but may still have some space for disagreement or resistance.

The key to resolving conflict is to be flexible to the set of circumstances presented in opposition,
and focus on the best approach to the situation. The more adaptable and open when addressing
conflict, the more effective the tactic will be in dealing with the circumstances. There are different
approaches that can be taken when dealing with conflict:

Collaborative – manager works with the people to develop a win-win situation that meets everyone

Compromising – each person gives up something in exchange for an amicable resolution

Competing – the determination is made on a steadfast opinion, and is usually best when a quick
decision needs to be made

Accommodating – one person concedes to the other, and this approach may not solve the problem

Avoidance – decisions are accepted without question, and could cause the conflict to escalate if
not addressed

Conflict resolution is best accomplished through collaboration or compromise; however,

understanding the situation and the people involved will be the best approach. The goal is to find
solutions that are mutually beneficial to everyone, including putting the interests of the company
and its employees first. Keeping an open mind, and the recognition that there is more than one way
to respect issues extends the belief that there can be a solution to the problem. If there is allegiance
to stay connected through communication, then trust and respect become the foundation for quality
interaction. This foundation is the premise for a past incident I experienced in the workplace with
another supervisor. The Quality Assurance Manager displayed behavior and actions of being a
micromanager who needed to ensure that she controlled the results of every assignment given to
her staff. Her demeanor was often overbearing and controlling, and she created stress in the
environment of everyone she worked with. She was often moody, and would allow outside
influences to affect her attitude when she worked with her peers. This supervisor lacked self-
esteem, and rather than allowing the individuality of her team members, her interest in delegation
always included appealing her own self-interest into tasks by wanting to achieve results as a
controlled effort. Very often, her style came across as a dictation of a list of instructions that
involved little to no collaboration, but simply adhering to her order and directives

Trying to win the conflict: This is usually the initial agenda for all parties involved in a conflict.
We can identify elaborate effective ways of dealing with conflicts as, Remember that conflict is
natural and happens in every ongoing relationship. Since conflict is unavoidable we must learn to
manage it. Conflict is a sign of a need for change and an opportunity for growth, new
understanding, and improved communication. Conflict can not be resolved unless it is addressed
with the appropriate individual.

Be a claiming agent - Regardless of whether you are being a sounding board for a friend or you
are dealing with your own conflict, your response to the conflict can escalate or decrease the
intensity of the problem. To be calming, provide an objective or neutral point of view. Help plan
how you are going to work with the other party to achieve resolution.

Maintain confidentiality - Encourage others who are in conflict to deal directly with the person
they are in conflict with. Avoiding the conflict and venting to others tends to escalate the conflict
and fuels the rumor mill. If rumors are already part of the conflict, encourage them to work out a
plan to put an end to the gossip. Do your part to quell rumors.

For example, if you are at work and walk by someone’s desk and accidently knock their pen on the
floor. All of sudden, the person lashes out and starts to curse at you. Knowing that this is not the
norm for your coworker, it would safe to assume that they are under some form of stress or have
other things on their mind. By knowing this, it becomes easier to respond in a more responsible,
tempered, and appropriate, manner. Sometimes ego can become a cause for conflict as well. There
may come a time when someone is wrong about something or they may have made a mistake but
they refuse to admit it. Because they have such a high ego, they may become self-protective of their
situation, therefore causing conflict because they refuse to admit they were wrong. Instead they may
choose to become persistent in standing their ground, whether they are right or wrong.

During communication, if the intended goals are not clearly identified, there is a greater possibility
for error and it could further aggravate a situation, causing conflict. Because each individual is
different there are bound to be clashes within certain personality types.

Effective managers are successful within the workgroup and organization when a style is used to
resolve a conflict. People do experience conflict in their lives. There has always been a lot of interest
in how to manage conflict once it appears in the open, and that is important. What is not so common
is a concern for preventing unnecessary conflict, so it does not start in the first place. Managers are
capable of using all five resolutions skills to deal with conflict in the workplace.

Some people attempt to avoid conflict by postponing it, hiding their feelings, changing the subject,
leaving the room or quitting the project. Sometimes, doing nothing is a smart thing to do, providing
the decision to do nothing is well thought out and based on an analysis of the situation. Although
avoidance might appear to be a “cop-out,” it can sometimes be the most appropriate response. A
common means of avoiding conflict is to be secretive. This can be done by employees and managers.
The notion is that if no one knows what is being done, there can be little conflict. By being secretive,
one may delay conflict and confrontation, but when it does surface it will have far more negative
emotions attached to it than would have been the case if things were more open. It may be wise to
avoid a conflict if the issue is minor or if the potential conflict partner is a formidable opponent. Not
every conflict justifies your attention. In a dispute, it's often easier to describe how others respond
then to how we respond. Each of us has a predominant conflict style that we use to meet our own
needs. By examining conflict styles and the consequences of those behaviors, we can gain a better
understanding of the impact that our personal conflict style has on other people. In a dispute, it's
often easier to describe how others respond then to how we respond. Each of us has a predominant
conflict style that we use to meet our own needs. By examining conflict styles and the consequences
of those behaviors, we can gain a better understanding of the impact that our personal conflict style
has on other people. To be successful in your career, regardless of your position, understanding
and resolving conflict is essential. Conflict resolution takes time, it takes commitment, and it
allows for constructive change to happen. When differences are discussed, and people can work
through them together, the foundation is positively set. Although the easy way out may be to ignore
it, or turn the other way, avoiding is destructive to building relationships. Conflict resolution leads
to facilitating goal achievement as it helps develop skills such as collaboration, negotiation, and
compromise, which are all areas that are useful in both personal and professional endeavors.
Finally, conflict resolution leads to the skill of commitment because it helps unify a responsibility
to face problems and deal with challenges, and mentality changes from “I” or “me” to “we” or
“us” and leads to an attitude of approach and the perception being flexible and open to change.