Human Relations: Interpersonal Job Oriented Skills, Canadian Edition - Softcover

DuBrin, Andrew J.; Geerinck, Terri M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0130307149 ISBN 13: 9780130307149

Publisher: Pearson Canada, 2001

Synopsis

For courses in Human Relations, Interpersonal Skills, Human Behaviour at Work, Applied Social Psychology With its blend of current and traditional interpersonal relations topics, this text concentrates on skill development and self-assessment. In addition to helping students become more effective communicators and leaders, it outlines strategies for successful group problem solving, techniques to increase personal productivity and manage stress, as well as tips on how to train, coach, and motivate others.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Designed to help students enhance their interpersonal skills in the workplace, this text explores a blend of current and traditional interpersonal concepts -- and features a heavy emphasis on skill development through an extensive variety of skill-building suggestions, exercises, and cases related to specific topics.

From the Inside Flap:

Preface

Welcome to the new and expanded edition of Human Relations: Interpersonal, Job-Oriented Skills. Success in any position involving interaction with people requires two broad sets of competencies: functional skills and generic skills. The term functional skills refers to knowledge of one's discipline (or organizational function), technical skills, specialty skills, or simply details of the job. Generic skills refers to competencies important in a variety of jobs. Among these generic skills are good work habits and time management, computer skills, high ethics, and interpersonal skills.

My purpose in writing this book is to help readers enhance their interpersonal skills in the workplace. By enhancing interpersonal skills, a person has a better chance of capitalizing upon his or her other skills. Two primary approaches are used in this text to achieve the lofty goal of improving interpersonal skills. First, basic concepts are introduced to enhance understanding of key topics in interpersonal relations in organizations.

Second, skill-building suggestions, exercises, and cases are presented that are designed to improve interpersonal skills related to the topic. Chapter 4, for example, presents general information about the nature of teamwork, followed by suggestions for improving teamwork. The chapter also includes several exercises or experiential activities and a case-all designed to improve teamwork skills. AUDIENCE FOR THE BOOK

The primary audience for this book is people taking courses that emphasize the development of interpersonal skills. Such courses typically include the term human relations. Because interpersonal relations contribute so heavily to effective leadership, the text is suited for participants in leadership and supervisory training courses. FRAMEWORK OF THE BOOK

The book is a blend of current and traditional topics dealing with interpersonal relations in organizations with a heavy component of skill development and self-assessment. The information is organized into chapters, all emphasizing interpersonal relations between two or more people. Chapter 1, "A Framework for Interpersonal Skill Development," sets the stage for improving one's interpersonal skills on the job. Chapter 2, "Understanding Individual Differences," presents information that is the foundation of effective interpersonal relations. Chapter 3, "Interpersonal Communications," deals with skills in sending and receiving messages.

Chapter 4, "Developing Teamwork Skills," sensitizes the reader to a vital set of skills in the workplace. Chapter 5, "Group Problem Solving and Decision Making," provides additional skill in collaborative effort. Chapter 6, "Cross-Cultural Relations and Diversity," is about developing cross-cultural skills in a diverse work force. Chapter 7, "Resolving Conflicts with Others," helps the reader develop skills in finding constructive solutions to differences of opinion and disputes with others.

Four consecutive chapters deal with exerting influence over others: Chapter 8, "Becoming an Effective Leader," presents information relevant to exercising leadership in the workplace; Chapter 9, "Motivating Others," emphasizes skills in getting others to work hard to achieve goals; Chapter 10, "Helping Others Develop and Grow," is about coaching, counseling, and teaching others; and Chapter 11, "Positive Political Skills," describes how to use power and influence for constructive purposes.

Chapter 12, "Customer Satisfaction Skills," describes several approaches to enhancing skills in satisfying customers, and thus lies at the heart of the quality revolution. Chapter 13, "Enhancing Ethical Behavior," translates ethical principles into usable skills. The rationale is that an ethical base is important for achieving career-long effectiveness in interpersonal relations. Chapter 14, "Personal Productivity and Stress Management," supports development of interpersonal skills in showing that productive people who have stress under control can relate more effectively to others. Chapter 15, "Job Search and Career Management Skills," includes information about the application of interpersonal skills (such as networking) to enhance one's career. CHANGES IN THE NEW EDITION

This new edition of Human Relations is expanded and enlarged, in addition to including updated information wherever appropriate. Two new chapters have been added in response to requests by users of the previous edition. Chapter 14 deals with improving productivity and managing stress, and Chapter 15 is about conducting a job search and career enhancement. Among the new topics in the text are:

Informal learning by employees (Chapter 1) The triarchic theory of intelligence and multiple intelligences (Chapter 2) Metacommunication (Chapter 3) Virtual teams (Chapter 4) Groupware for decision making (Chapter 5) 360-degree feedback (Chapter 8) Self-efficacy as it contributes to motivation (Chapter 9) The integration of information technology into interpersonal skill development (Chapters 3, 6, and 14)

Most chapters contain at least one additional self-assessment quiz and one additional skill-building exercise. Many more references are made to the Internet and information technology, including using the Internet for developing cross-cultural skills (Chapter 6), enhancing personal productivity (Chapter 15), and conducting a job search (Chapter 15). SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL
The instructor's manual for this text contains 750 multiple choice and true/false test questions, chapter outlines and lecture notes, answers to discussion questions and case problems, and comments about the exercises.

PRENTICE HALL COMPUTERIZED TEST BANK
This testing software is available on 3.5-inch disk for the Windows platform. The program gives the instructor maximum flexibility in preparing tests. It can create custom tests and print up to 99 different scrambled versions of a test at one time; and build tests randomly by chapter, level of difficulty, or question type. The software also allows on-line testing and record keeping and the ability to add problems to the database.

PRENTICE HALL SELF-ASSESSMENT LIBRARY
A CD-ROM with a computerized assessment program that gives students insights into their skills, abilities, and interests. The Library includes 45 exercises to help students learn more about themselves and how they relate to others. It is easy to use and self-scoring. MEETING WORKPLACE TRAINING GUIDELINES

The U.S. federal government guidelines recommend that postsecondary schools teach five competencies and a three-part foundation of skills and personal qualities needed for job performance. The competencies state that effective workers can productively use resources, interpersonal skills, information, systems, and technology. In addition, the foundation competence requires basic skills (such as reading, writing, and arithmetic), thinking skills (such as thinking creatively), and personal qualities (such as self-management and integrity).

Human Relations provides information and exercises that directly support components of six of the preceding eight requirements-use of resources, interpersonal skills, basic skills, personal qualities, and technology. Information and systems are ordinarily taught outside of an interpersonal skills or human relations curriculum. A guide to meeting the federal guidelines is presented next.

Effective workers can productively use the following:

Resources
Included are allocating time, money, materials, space, and staff: Chapter 2, about understanding individual differences, provides background information for doing an effective job of allocating staff.

Interpersonal Skills
Examples are working on teams, teaching others, serving customers, leading, negotiating, and working well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Interpersonal skills are taught throughout the book, and each of the skill areas just mentioned is covered by at least one chapter. Chapter 4 is about working on teams; Chapter 10, about helping others develop, covers teaching others; Chapter 12, about customer service skills, deals with serving customers. Leading others is the subject of Chapter 8; negotiating is explained in Chapter 7, about resolving conflicts with others; and Chapter 6, about cross-cultural relations, discusses working well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Basic Skills
These include reading, writing, arithmetic and mathematics, speaking, and listening. Chapter 3, about communicating with people, provides suggestions for improved writing, speaking, and listening.

Thinking Skills
These consist of thinking creatively, making decisions, solving problems, seeing things in the mind's eye, knowing how to learn, and reasoning. Chapter 5, about group problem solving, deals directly with creative thinking, decision making, and problem solving. Chapter 13, about enhancing ethical behavior, deals with ethical reasoning.

Personal Qualities
These encompass individual responsibility, self-esteem, so

About this edition

• Publisher: Pearson Canada
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0130307149
• ISBN 13: 9780130307149
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384