People Skills at Work

An exploration of the ways in which people skills can be acquired and developed, this book discusses new career development tools, the role of professional commitment statements, psychological contracts, and how to work with difficult people. Each chapter elucidates the development of a specific skill and includes examples, sets benchmarks, and examines how the particular skill’s relationship to the other skills presented in the book. The author covers how to improve interpersonal relationships, communications, job performance, and dealing with people of different ages, gender, and backgrounds.

Wouldn’t you like to achieve better work results, advance your career, navigate the workplace effortlessly, and more easily balance work success with personal well-being? Who doesn’t want the secret recipe for that? While there may not be a single, one size fits all answer, developing a people skills toolkit can put you on the right path. An exploration of the ways in which people skills can be acquired and developed, People Skills at Work discusses new career development tools, the role of professional commitment statements, psychological contracts, and how to work with difficult people.

• Manage interpersonal relationships in the workplace
• Improve communications with coworkers and constituencies
• Work with people of different ages, gender, and backgrounds
• Handle conflicts with co-workers and clients

Shaped by the authors’ experience, the book reflects their professional and personal integration of many different sources of knowledge and experience. The book uses a practical approach to address critical social skills, career advancement and professionalism, and how the different career stages affect key relationships. Each chapter elucidates the development of a specific skill and includes examples, sets benchmarks, and examines the particular skill’s relationship to the other skills presented in the book.

Good people skills are no longer on the "nice to have" list; in most work settings they are simply a must. Very few people can escape the reality that their success usually requires having good people skills, too. This book gives you the tools to improve interpersonal relationships, communications, job performance, and interaction with people of different ages, genders, and backgrounds.