Improving Managers’ Interpersonal Skills

Ever wonder what to look for first and foremost when hiring managers or promoting people to managers? You’ll be interested in a recent survey of human resource directors of Fortune 1000 companies. The survey asked human resource directors to rank the importance of training in 10 different communication skills to the overall success of the organization. The skills rank as follows:

1. Interpersonal Skills (78.3%)
2. Listening (74.3%)
3. Persuasion/Motivation (63.4%)
4. Presentation Skills (56.9%)
5. Small Group Communications (52.0%)
6. Advising (50.5%)
7. Interviewing (47.5%)
8. Conflict Management (47.0%)
9. Writing (42.6)
10. Reading (24.0)

SOURCE: Luporter Report, January 14, 1999, 800-339-0515.