Team and Interpersonal Skills

Team and Interpersonal Skills

This week in our HR division the general discussion is team and interpersonal skills. Three questions have been raised to discuss at this weeks meeting. What interpersonal skills are required to build team cohesion? To explain why interpersonal skills are important to a team, and what is the purpose for developing teams within the organization and how can teams help create cohesion between management and employees?

All organizations are committed to building cohesion into their teams. Webster defines cohesion as "an act of sticking together tightly." (Webster, 2006) "Cooperation, teamwork, and effectiveness in accomplishing goals by involving everyone's participation are hallmarks of high performance teams." (CTU, 2006) This would include to have an high degree of communication among the team, and decisions are made by the whole group.

Interpersonal skills not only play an important role in effective teams but in the ability to lead. One must be able to express and explain their thoughts and ideas in a manner that all can understand. They also must be able to evaluate others ideas and suggestions, and be able to critique in a non-offensive manner. For example: Suppose Jane has a new approach or important on a product, however Dick has the ability to take Jane's idea and improve upon it. Dick must be able to relay this information not only to Jane but to the rest of the team in a manner that all can understand and that Jane doesn't feel as though Dick is not stealing her idea or brushing it off the side. Remember a hallmark to an effective team is the ability to communicate. (CTU Online, 2006)