This is a really interesting question, but I will disagree with the comment below. I believe Self Management skills are more important as they influence relationship skills. Someone who can manage him/herself appropriately will have a head start in developing and maintaining good relationships. The question is critical, and by critical I understand that is being applied to the business world. A self managed individual should be more valuable to a company than a good relationship individual. Self management assures, stress and time management, assertiveness, self awareness and creative thinking, just to mention a few characteristics. So as far as being more business critical, this is my answer.
I agree, they are both as important. You need an equal balance between both to manage successfully.
Great thoughts all around, Miriam. It is so important to have both relationship and self-management skills, and the awareness of how you communicate as well as others communicate. Thank you for sharing all your thoughts on this so thoroughly in the forum!
Dr. Jean Norris
Relationships are important because maintaining good correspondence with your co-workers and communicating clearly, will inspire and influence others, work well in a team, and manage conflict. It also contribute to your self-management skills; being able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage your emotions in healthy ways, take initiative, follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing circumstances. In other words it will provide you with stronger connections, success at work, and achieve your career and personal goals.
Relationship skills are important when you are trying to establish a team work within associates.
Without team work, you could be lacking trust and respect. It's very important to be able to have a balance between trust and relationships, to be able to have a good relationship skills, trust and respect within your peers and work environment. You will be able to create healthy morality within the company.
As soon as you step into the office. A leader needs to know how to maintain and develop good relationships with his/her peers. Communicating clearly with your co-workers during a project or meeting is also important so everyone in that room heads the same direction. A leader needs to inspire all his/her team members when something is not giving the wanted results. This may cause conflict within the team when positive results are not attained, and a leader must manage any conflicts that may come up. A great leader has all members of the team work as efficiently as possible.
Miriam, That is true. When do you feel relationship skills are important?
Dr. Jean Norris
I believe that Self-Management Skills is more critical than Relationship Management Skills because with obtaining self-management skills you have the ability to be very productive without being micro-managed or dictated on what had to be done on a daily basis. To be able to obtain strong Self-Management skills, someone must have various charatersteristic in their personality, to include: initiative, drive, determination, and perseverance.
Gaylene, Very true. It can also be stated that you need self management skills in order build a relationship. Would you agree?
Dr. Jean Norris
I think both of them are critical. You must have Self Management skills to be a manager, but relationship skills to be a leader.
Dana,
Wells said! What will you do/add differently as a result of this insight?
Dr. Jean Norris
I agree. If I cant self manage then it would be near impossible to build relatioships. My reactions bring about reactions from others.If I can manage myself in a powerful dynamic way, then I can build the realtioships in the same manner.
Good point Brian, a balance is quite important. Sometimes we need to work on one area more than another based on our personal situation. In your current role, what do you need to do to find the balance?
I think that, like most things, a marriage of the two, self-management and relationship skills are required to thrive in life.
Self-management without the ability to plug it into a larger context can be of limited utility, as can relationship skills with a lack of understanding and control of oneself. Over time we combine the many skills we acquire to create deeper and more well-rounded interactions in business and personal life. Choosing one attribute to focus solely on, or to prioritize, narrows our view of the world and limits our perception of the possibilities laid out before us.
Great point, Doris. It makes sense that both work together to make it work. What self-management skills do you think are critical when building relationships?
I think both are very important. Without self managment skills it would be hard to build relationships. So I believe you need both to make it work.
Shantal, that's an interesting point. It sounds like you look at the situation first to decide how to proceed. Great approach.
Dr. Jean Norris
I believe that both skills are just as equally as important. Depending on the situation at hand will depend on what skills is mostly utilized.
Rosa, that's an interesting point. In order to be an effective manager, one has to be concerned with the relationship skills of the team members.
Dr. Jean Norris
I feel that relationshhip skills are more important, as a manager you must be able to listen to what each individual is saying.
If an employee or staff member does not feel like you are listening to what they have to say then you will lose their respect.
