Discuss the growing importance of interpersonal skills in the ...

[mspears3]

Discuss the growing importance of interpersonal skills in the workplace.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Jason has been working in the sales division of a beverage company for the last six months. In this short period of time, Jason has learnt that Mr. Lee, his manager, keeps increasing monthly targets significantly.
 
  However, though the target appears unrealistic each time, Jason has consistently been able to reach them. Mr. Lee's approach of leading his employees to work more efficiently by setting successively higher targets is an example of his ________ leadership style.
  A) participative
  B) democratic
  C) person-oriented
  D) achievement-oriented
  E) supportive

[scottmt]

Answer to Question 1

Until the late 1980s, business school curricula emphasized the technical aspects of management, focusing on economics, accounting, finance, and quantitative techniques. Course work in human behavior and people skills received relatively less attention. Over the past three decades, however, business faculty have come to realize the role that understanding human behavior plays in determining a manager's effectiveness and required courses on people skills have been added to many curricula. Developing managers' interpersonal skills also helps organizations attract and keep high-performing employees. Regardless of labor market conditions, outstanding employees are always in short supply. Having managers with good interpersonal skills is likely to make the workplace more pleasant, which in turn makes it easier to hire and keep qualified people. Creating a pleasant workplace also appears to make good economic sense.

Answer to Question 2

D