In teaching the elements of high-performing teams, we use a model called GRPI (developed by Noel Tichy and Ram Charam among others) that has as its base – interpersonal relationships. It tells us that no matter how technically skilled a team is and how clear its purpose and goals are, without a foundation of great working relationships the team will not perform at its maximum ability.
The critical importance of interpersonal skills for leaders – the ability to connect, communicate, relate to others and to be self-aware – cannot be denied. We all can point to people we have worked with who may have had tremendous knowledge and ability in their field but who fell flat when it came to managing and leading others. A recent blog post by Daniel Goleman, the expert on Emotional Intelligence, calls interpersonal skills the “secret sauce in top-performing leadership.” In it he shares additional points on what interpersonal skills are and how to spot them.
What examples can you share of interpersonal skills being a key factor in a leader’s success or failure? We’d love to hear about it.
You can read the blog post at: The Must-Have Leadership Skill
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