We are all navigating disruption, to our home and work lives, our cultures and communities. Now, more than ever, elevating interpersonal flexibility and adaptability is critical as we traverse unprecedented and unpredictable change.
COVID 19 has rapidly disrupted lives, livelihoods and markets. We have had to reset, quickly reimagine and construct a new normal within which to live and work.
Our homes have become our place of work. For many, ‘going to work’ now means logging on from bedrooms, dining room tables, balconies and even gardens. Spending hours on Zoom or conference calls and even starting new jobs without ever physically meeting our colleagues.
There are equally many people who have lost their jobs and businesses and are now facing an uncertain future. Those seeking opportunities are faced with job markets saturated with talent where competition for roles is high.
It is easy to feel vulnerable with so little in our control at such a volatile time. However, what we do have absolute control over is how we show up, interact and engage with others.
Activating our Interpersonal skills and elevating engagement during times of disruption and transition is transformative.
There are 5 highly effective interpersonal skills that we can harness to regain control and better navigate change:
1. Activating our Personal Brand allows us to reconnect during times of change and uncertainty, with who we are and what we do, increasing self-confidence and authenticity in our personal and professional relationships. 2. Understanding Needs is a skill to be amplified in times of unprecedented change. In agile and rapidly evolving environments, needs morph and shift, so the ability to understand, interpret and act on these changing needs is critical.
3. Change yields opportunity. We are all currently reimagining the art of the possible. This is the perfect time to dial up and flex our Influencing skills to create exciting new futures for our lives and work.
4. Collaborating with our families, friends and colleagues is crucial. Social collaboration brings people together in challenging times to focus on achieving a shared goal. This becomes the driving force for positive transformation. 5. A key skill to elevate during times of disruption is Managing Conflict. As we experience feelings of disconnection and anxiety, emotions can erupt and create conflict situations at home and at work. The ability to manage our emotions enables deeper understanding, improved relationships, creativity and innovation.
Why are Interpersonal skills so important?
Paradoxically, as the business and COVID world evolves to become more digitally focused, the importance of human connection and need for interpersonal engagement increases significantly.
Digital socialisation and interpersonal skills such as, social perceptiveness, emotional intelligence, collaborating, empathy and managing conflict become heightened and the ability to enhance our interpersonal engagement and flexibility is key to navigating the VUCA (volatile uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world we live and work in.
As the world pivots and evolves, we should consciously focus on how we activate and leverage our interpersonal skills to successfully traverse change and transform our ability to Power Through Transition.
Coach & author bio: Nicola Berridge is a Personal Brand coach whose expertise spans executive leadership, talent development, performance management and business transformation, bringing a dynamic understanding of the corporate space to her role.
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