BOOK2BOARDROOM
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Creating and Building Powerful Connections

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Introduction
“Your career success in the
workplace of today – independent
of technical expertise – depends on
the quality of your people skills.”
- Max Messmer, Jr.

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Introduction
This workshop will help participants work
towards being that unforgettable person by
providing key communication skills,
techniques to influence others, tips on
making an impact, and advice on networking
and starting conversations.

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Workshop Objectives
• How can I improve my ability to listen?
• What are some differences between weak and powerful
communicators?
• What role does nonverbal communication play in my
effectiveness?
• How can I break the ice and start conversations that lead to
meaningful connections?
• What interpersonal skills are critical for leading and working
with teams?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Workshop Objectives
• What are behaviors and common mistakes that impact
interpersonal effectiveness and team success?
• How can I influence and engage others?
• How can I express my opinion and remain respectful?
• How can I make a good impression and build my emotional
intelligence?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 1:
“Most of the successful people
I’ve known are the ones who do
more listening than talking.”
- Bernard Baruch
How Can I Improve
My Ability to
Listen?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
What Is Listening and Why Is It Important?
Listening is the
ability to
accurately
receive and
interpret
messages in the
communication
process
Listening helps
build
relationships,
solve problems,
ensure
understanding,
resolve conflicts
and improve
accuracy
Without the
ability to listen
effectively,
messages are
easily
misunderstood

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Listening and Hearing: They Aren’t The Same
Thing
• Hearing is the process of perceiving
sounds within our environment.
• Listening involves the extra steps of
really understanding what we heard,
and giving it deliberate attention and
thoughtful consideration.

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Tips For Being an Effective Listener
Here are some ways you can improve your ability to listen:
• Give your full attention to the speaker. Be sure to remove any
distractions.
• Let the speaker finish speaking before you respond.
• Maintain eye contact with the speaker.

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Tips For Being an Effective Listener
Here are some ways you can improve your ability to listen:
• Empathize with the speaker.
• Keep an open mind.
• Pretend that there will be a test on what the speaker is
saying.

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Personal Reflection
Reflect on a time when listening
effectively helped you to solve a
problem you were facing. How
might the results have been
different if you did not listen
effectively?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 2:
“Communication – the human
connection – is the key to
personal and career success.”
- Paul J. Meyer
What Are Some
Differences Between
Weak and Powerful
Communicators?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Characteristics of Powerful Communicators
Powerful communicators:
• Are assertive
• Use clear language
• Emphasize key ideas
• Are confident
• Connect with the audience
• Are empathetic
• Keep an open mind
• Are good listeners

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Characteristics of Weak Communicators
Weak communicators:
• Are often misinterpreted
• Have trouble managing employees
• Mumble their words
• Have a closed mind
• Don’t listen effectively
• Have trouble working with clients

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Why Is Powerful Communication Important?
Communication is not
what you meant to say,
but what the listener
actually receives
Powerful
communication makes
life easier, both inside
and outside of the
workplace

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Personal Reflection
List the 3 most powerful
communicators you have
encountered. What was it about
each one of these speakers that
makes them so effective?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 3:
“What you do speaks so loud
that I cannot hear what you
say.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
What Role Does
Nonverbal
Communication Play In
My Effectiveness?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Why Is Nonverbal Communication Important?
Communication is not just about what comes out of our mouths. In
fact, what we don’t say --- our body language, voice intonation
and use of silence --- often sends a louder message to other
people than the words we say.

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Types of Body Languages
• Eye Contact
• Facial Expressions
• Posture
• Gestures and Movement
• Physical Contact
• Appearance
• Use of Space

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It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It
The following are aspects of “how we say things” that we should take note
of:
• Tone of Voice
• Stress and Emphasis
• Pace and Rhythm
• Volume
• Pronunciation and Enunciation
• Pauses and Silence

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Be Aware of the Signals You Send to Others
• Increase your awareness of your body
language and how you say things.
• Know how certain behaviors are typically
interpreted by others.
• Practice! Practice! Practice!

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Personal Reflection
Reflect on a memorable interaction
with someone that you made you feel
better/worse, and answer the following
questions. How did you interpret their
nonverbal communications? Did you
keep these nonverbal cues in mind
throughout the rest of the interaction?
Explain.

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Module 4:
“Conversation is the fine art of
mutual consideration and
communication about matters of
common interest that basically
have some human importance.”
- Ordway Tead
How Can I Break The
Ice and Start
Conversations That
Lead To Meaningful
Connections?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Starting Conversations That Lead to
Meaningful Conversations
In this module, we will discuss how to start a
conversation, the four levels of
communication, as well as how to skillfully
ease our conversation starters into deeper
levels of talk.

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Keys For Starting a Meaningful Conversation
• Be confident
• Know what you have to offer
• Create an arsenal of conversation starters
• Be aware of your body language
• Know what holds you back
• Relax

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The Four Levels of Conversation
Small Talk
Fact Disclosure
Viewpoints and Opinions
Personal Feelings

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Keys For Moving a Conversation Along
• Build a rapport.
• Ask open-ended questions.
• Repeating certain words, phrases or even statements that a
speaker discloses to you can also maintain the momentum of
your talk, or move it into a new direction.
• Ask hypothetical questions.
• Using summaries can say that one part of the conversation is
over and that it’s time to move on to another part.

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Personal Practice
Practice starting a conversation with
a partner. Try to pair up with
someone you do not know. Make
sure your conversation starter
includes a brief introduction of who
you are and what you do. Remember,
be confident and direct.

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 5:
“Unity is strength…where there
is teamwork and collaboration,
wonderful things can be
achieved.”
- Mattie Stepanek
What Interpersonal
Skills Are Critical For
Leading and Working
With Teams?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Important Skills For Leading Teams
• Be honest
• Use clear language
• Be an active listener
• Be supportive
• Use empathy
• Be an effective communicator
• Respect other members of the team
• Be assertive

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Benefits of Practicing Critical Interpersonal
Skills For Leading Teams
Practicing interpersonal skills can assist you when leading a team.
Specifically, leaders should practice the following skills:
• Create an efficient problem-solving process
• Prioritize tasks
• Motivate the team
• Earn the team’s loyalty
• Lead by example
• Delegate tasks effectively
• Achieve the team’s goals
• Give constructive feedback

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Important Skills For Working In Teams
• Have a positive attitude
• Be an active listener
• Ask the right questions
• Respect fellow team members
• Be humble
• Communicate clearly
• Be open to criticism

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Personal Reflection
Reflect on a time when you worked
on a team. What types of behaviors
did your teammates exhibit that
made working on a team easier?
What types of behaviors did your
teammates exhibit that made working
on a team more difficult?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 6:
“Smart people learn from their
mistakes. But the real sharp ones
learn from the mistakes of
others.”
- Brandon Mull
What Are Behaviors and
Common Mistakes That
Impact Interpersonal
Effectiveness and Team
Success?

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Behaviors That Impact Interpersonal
Effectiveness
• Failing to listen to others
• Being closed minded
• Failing to use clear language when communicating
• Being dishonest
• Failing to ask questions

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Common Mistakes That Impact Team
Success
• Failing to communicate clearly
• Relying on existing knowledge
• Failing to consult with supervisors
• Using authority inappropriately
• Failing to cooperate with others
• Failing to accept criticism

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 7:
“It takes tremendous discipline
to control the influence, the
power you have over other
people’s lives.”
- Clint Eastwood
How Can I
Influence and
Engage Others?

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Influence Others
In this module, we will discuss how to improve our influencing
skills and persuade people to support our viewpoint. Specifically,
we will discuss:
• Seeing the other side
• Building a bridge
• Aristotle’s modes of persuasion (Ethos, Pathos, Logos)

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Seeing The Other Side
The first step in influencing other people is entering their world.
This means setting aside your own point of view and looking at the
situation from another person’s perspective.

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Benefits of Seeing the Other Side
Looking at a problem through another person’s perspective can help
you:
• Motivate people
• Gain credibility
• Understand the needs of others
• Build trust
• Improve attitudes

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Bridge Building
• Bridge building is the process of increasing rapport and
affinity between people.
• Building rapport will help you to gain credibility and
influence others.
• It can involve making the other party feel at ease talking to
you, gaining their trust, and identifying common interests.

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Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
Ethos
Ethical appeal
Persuading an
audience by building
credibility or character
Pathos
Emotional appeal
Persuading an
audience by appealing
to their emotions
Logos
Logical appeal
Persuading an
audience by using
logic or reason

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Ethos: Ethical Appeal
• One way to build credibility with your audience is to “give in
without giving up.”
• The skill of giving in is important because people generally
don’t want to deal with individuals whose intention is to win at
all costs or be declared “right” for the sake of being right.
• A person who is willing to “give in” from time to time comes
across as sensible and realistic.

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Pathos: Emotional Appeal
Using a dash of emotion can help you persuade others.
Specifically, you should practice:
• Focusing on positive emotions as benefit
• Focusing on a negative emotion, and then adding a call to
action
• Using analogies and metaphors
• Using visuals
• Using vivid, sensory words
• Showing that it’s personal

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Logos: Logical Appeal
The following methods will help you appeal to a person’s logic and
reasoning:
• Provide statistical data
• Provide known facts as evidence
• Separate facts from opinions
• Create logical arguments from facts
• Reinforce your claims

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Module 8:
“I never make the mistake of
arguing with people for whose
opinions I have no respect.”
- Edward Gibbon
How Can I Express
My Opinion and
Remain Respectful?

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How To Express Your Opinion
In this module, we will discuss the skills you can use to share your
opinion respectfully and effectively. Particularly, we will discuss
how to use I-messages, disagree constructively and build
consensus.

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Using I-Messages
• An I-message is a message that is focused on the speaker.
• When you use I-messages, you take responsibility for your
own feelings instead of accusing the other person of making
you feel a certain way.
• I-messages are more direct and reduce the chances of a
miscommunication.

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Tips For Disagreeing Constructively and
Respectfully
• Keep disagreements constructive
• Show respect before dissenting
• Give reasonable concessions
• Don’t make it personal
• Listen to other points of view
• Strive for a win-win solution
• Keep it positive
• Encourage feedback

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How To Build a Consensus
Building a consensus is a collaborative process that can help you reach
better decisions. Here are some tips for building a consensus:
• Focus on interests rather than positions
• Explore the different options together
• Be respectful of dissenters
• Address all concerns
• Increase sameness/reduce differentiation
• Resolve any conflicts
• Amend the proposed solution as needed

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Personal Reflection
Reflect on a time when you
disagreed with another
individual. How did you share
your opinion and remain
respectful?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Module 9:
“Sometimes, one creates a
dynamic impression by saying
something and sometimes one
creates as significant and
impression by remaining silent.”
How Can I Make a
Good Impression and
Build My Emotional
Intelligence?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Why Is Making a Good Impression
Important?
Some people stand out, while others fade into the background.
But if you want to make the most of interpersonal relationships,
you have to be able to leave a lingering positive impression on the
people that you meet.

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Tips For Creating a Powerful First Impression
• Be prepared
• Dress to impress
• Be courteous and attentive
• Communicate your confidence
• Be on time
• Be conscious of your body language
• Remember the names of people you meet
• Be yourself
• Leave the conversation on a positive note

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Be Assertive But Not Offensive
• Focus on what is important to the other person
• Respect boundaries
• Make requests, not demands
• Take note of nonverbal behavior

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Tips for Building Emotional Intelligence
• Consider how your words/actions affect others
• Examine how you react to the words/actions of others
• Know your strengths and weaknesses
• Manage your emotions
• Keep an open mind
• Read body language
• Show humility
• Determine what thoughts are appropriate to share
• Practice your skills

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Review: Workshop Objectives
• How can I improve my ability to listen?
• What are some differences between weak and powerful
communicators?
• What role does nonverbal communication play in my effectiveness?
• How can I break the ice and start conversations that lead to
meaningful connections?
• What interpersonal skills are critical for leading and working with
teams?

BOOK2BOARDROOM
Review: Workshop Objectives
• What are behaviors and common mistakes that impact interpersonal
effectiveness and team success?
• How can I influence and engage others?
• How can I express my opinion and remain respectful?
• How can I make a good impression and build my emotional
intelligence?