The Workplace Relationships program is an assessment tool to measure and create change. It will identify and highlight behaviours, attitudes, communication styles and other leadership skills that are required in organisations of all sizes and types. Developed by a team of researchers, practitioners and academics it covers many areas of organisation performance and holds a multitude of practical solutions for improving workplace relationships. There are a wide variety of strategies that can be implemented through this program to help improve relationships and trust between people at all levels of an organisation. It is a comprehensive approach to understanding how people relate to each other both individually and as a team.
The Workplace Relationships assessment has been designed to give organisations a structured means of developing programmes which build on and support the strengths of their current work environments. The assessment assesses individuals and teams on their interpersonal and leadership skills. It takes into account aspects of organisational culture, systems and processes, organisational climate and values. These factors influence and need to be considered in any workplace change initiative.
The application includes two main components. The first is a questionnaire which collects relevant information from the team members of the organisation. This allows the researcher to construct a profile of the workplace environment and identify patterns of behaviour choices which might be related to productivity and efficiency. A second component of the Workplace Relationships programme addresses the behaviour choices of individual team members towards colleagues and employers. This is done through elicitation techniques and interviews.
Team leaders are considered to be important influences in workplace relationships because they are usually the ones who initiate and foster relationships with individual team members. The Workplace Relationships program therefore helps identify the leadership styles and soft skills of team members and leaders. The program then develops a strategy for teams to encourage and support successful interpersonal communication.
Workplace relationships are complex and multifaceted. Team productivity is frequently tied to interpersonal communication, which is often hampered by a lack of good interpersonal communication and a fear of isolation. The professional setting can also be highly conducive to interpersonal relationships and is a great arena in which people can learn to adapt and overcome their barriers to interpersonal communication. With the professional setting also comes more opportunities and a greater ability to develop personal skills.
The Workplace Relationships programme now has the opportunity to broaden its remit beyond the professional setting. It has been established in Cape Town, to help build a network of organisations that are committed to creating positive relationships between people. It also advocates for improved leadership amongst employees. With the leadership of teams and organisations, the chance of developing improved workplace behaviours and attitudes is greater.
Today, leaders need to be more professional and prepared to deal with the day-to-day pressures of leadership. Most organisations are lacking in the necessary soft skills and communication that can make a team work effectively as well as making them effective leaders. The role of a manager is to ensure that the organisation's structure and culture are aligned with the vision and mission of the company. To achieve this level of clarity, it is important to develop positive leadership and management skills. With the professional training provided by the Workplace Relationships Programme you can become a much better team player and leader.
The key to developing strong leadership and management skills is the self-concept that an individual has of himself/herself. For example, an individual who believes themselves to be a team player will naturally want to be part of a team. Conversely, a person who thinks they are only a leader will naturally seek to lead from the top down. To understand one's self-concept and to develop a positive self-concept, one can attend Workshops such as those conducted by Dr David Coyle. His workshops on the topic of the Self-Concepts in Management offer a unique perspective on this important topic.
