CHAPTER 8:
INTERPERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
NOTE FROM AUTHORS
Thus far we have focused on self awareness, knowledge development, and skill
attainment that will enable students to become effective helpers. We now turn our focus
to the interpersonal and professional relationships they are likely to face while working
in agency settings. Through our review of the literature, we have found little written
about these types of relationships, yet they are often a powerful and influential force in
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
The importance of interpersonal and professional relationships is highlighted in
this chapter. Emphasis will be on understanding and learning to work with others with
whom one has a personal, interpersonal, and/or a professional relationship, as this will
KEY CONCEPTS AND TERMS
Positive Aspects of Relationships
Assertive Communication
Conflict Resolution
Personal Relationships
Complexities of Conflicts with Colleagues
Different Styles and Personalities
Relationship with Administrators
Different Styles of Administrators
Relationships with Agency Staff
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter it is anticipated that the following goals and
objectives will have been met:
▪ Awareness of the positive aspects of relationships in general.
▪ Cognizant of the importance of assertive communication; ability to use basic
assertion skills.
▪ Understands the many intricacies involving relationships with colleagues: the
benefits of healthy relationships, the benefits of experiencing problems and the
role of assertive communication and conflict resolution with colleagues.
IDEAS FOR EXPERIENTIALLY INTRODUCING THE CHAPTER
1. Students are asked to evaluate their current professional and personal relationships
and to identify which are most the most supportive. Specifically, for each
relationship they are asked to:
(1) Identify the type of relationship,
2. The class is divided into five groups representing Groups A, B, C, D, and E
described below. Each group is given a specific set of questions to reflect upon
and give feedback on. Questions for each group are as follows:
Group A: ‘Personal Relationships’
(1) How can being a human service professional affect one’s personal life?
Group B: ‘ Relationships with Colleagues’
(1) What are some of the benefits of creating healthy relationships with
colleagues?
(2) How can one develop a supportive and cohesive environment with
colleagues?
colleagues?
Group C: ‘Relationships with Administrators’
(1) What are some benefits of a positive working relationship with
administrators?
Group D: ‘Relationships with Agency Staff’
(1) Why is it important to cultivate positive relationships with agency staff?
Group E: ‘Professional Relationships in the Community’
(1) Why might be the benefits of learning to work collaboratively with other
disciplines within the community?
CONCLUDING EXERCISES AND ROLE PLAYS
1. The class is divided into two main groups, A and B. Group A will focus on effective
communication skills and Group B on conflict resolution skills. Each group will be
2. Using the same groups noted in earlier introductory exercises above, the class is
subdivided into five groups labeled A, B, C, D , and E. Each group is to prepare a
role play as defined below:
demonstrate how effective communication and/or conflict resolution skills can be
helpful.
Group B: ‘Relationships with Colleagues’ – Present a situation where
conflict with colleagues exists and demonstrate how effective communication
and/or conflict resolution skills can be helpful. What other ways can one cope
with these types of difficulties?
Group C: ‘Relationships with Administrators’ – Show how conflicts in an
organization can ensue that are specifically related to the administrator.
Demonstrate how through the use of effective communication and/or conflict
resolution skills such conflict can be lessened or dealt with? Are there any other
issues that need to be considered?
3. Students are asked to bring into class a description of their own interpersonal and/or
professional relationships conflicts. After they have divided into groups of two, each
student will role play the situation during which time effective communication and
conflict resolution skills are used in an effort to constructively deal with the situation.
IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION AND FURTHER THOUGHT
1. Students are to take an honest look at how they cope with conflict in both their
personal and professional relationships. Do they avoid it, deal with it in an
2. Students are asked to compare and contrast ways in which they communicate with
their clients and ways they communicate within their interpersonal relationships
3. The class is asked to consider the following situation. There is an Agency X who is
experiencing a great deal of conflict both among staff themselves and between staff
and the administration. As a result, morale is at all time low with the negativity being
felt both by clients and others in the community. You are a consultant who is hired
to help this particular agency increase their morale and improve their ability to work
collaboratively with one another. What might your approach be? What steps would
you take to improve matters?
EXAM QUESTIONS
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. In dealing with interpersonal and professional relationships, the authors contend that
the following two skills will help in the development and maintenance of healthy
relationships:
a. Interpersonal and professional
b. Cohesion and confidence
2. Which of the following definitions best describes ‘listening’ as opposed to ‘hearing’?
a. Physiological sensory processes by which auditory sensations are received by the
ears and transmitted to the brain.
3. In the text, Bolton cites three types of conflicts. Which definition best exemplifies
“Conflict of Needs”:
a. Someone feeling sad while another may feel anger.
b. Welfare recipients need income assistance and work programs versus those who
feel they only need job training in order to find gainful employment.
4. Benefits when mates work in different professions may include:
a. The ability to share different aspects of their work.
5. In discussing relationships with administrators, the authors cite several types of
administrative styles. Which of the following are styles cited:
a. Passive, distant , withdrawn.
6. Which of the following would not fit the activities or roles of macro level practice?
a. Negotiating and bargaining with diverse groups.
SHORT ANSWERS
7. As reflected in the text and from your own personal experience, what are the pros
and cons of developing friendships with colleagues?
8. According to the text, why is it important to develop positive working relationships
with agency staff including secretaries, receptionists, housekeeping, security, etc.?
ESSAY QUESTION
10. From your personal, educational, or fieldwork experiences discuss a conflictual
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS:
Recommended Readings:
Having Healthy Relationships by Susanna McMahon, Meditations for Women Who Do
Self Awareness Assignments:
Examine the quality of the relationships within you workplace. What patterns do you
see? Do you feel you could benefit from making any changes that might enhance these
relationships. If so, how? Please describe.
Evaluate your ability to be able to successfully balance your personal and professional
lives. Are their any changes that might be worthwhile making? What might these be?
How might you proceed in effecting such change?
Final Exam
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Chapter 8
13. In dealing with interpersonal and professional relationships, the authors contend
that the following two skills will help in the development and maintenance of healthy
relationships:
a. Interpersonal and professional
14. Which of the following definitions best describes ‘listening’ as opposed to ‘hearing’?
a. physiological sensory processes by which auditory sensations are received by the
ears and transmitted to the brain.
e. B and C above
15. In the text, Bolton cites three types of conflicts. Which definition best exemplifies
“Conflict of Needs”:
a. Someone feeling sad while another may feel anger.
b. Welfare recipients need income assistance and work programs versus those who
feel they only need job training in order to find gainful employment.
16. Benefits when mates work in different professions may include:
a. The ability to share different aspects of their work.
17. In discussing relationships with administrators, the authors cite several types of
administrative styles. Which of the following are styles cited:
a. Passive, distant, withdrawn.
b. Aggressive, hostile and non-caring.
18. Which of the following would not fit the activities or roles of macro level practice?
a. Negotiating and bargaining with diverse groups.
SHORT ANSWERS
7. As reflected in the text and from your own personal experience, what are the pros
and cons of developing friendships with colleagues?
8. According to the text, why is it important to develop positive working relationships
with agency staff including secretaries, receptionists, housekeeping, security, etc.?
9. List some of the professional roles human services workers can perform on a
community level.
ESSAY QUESTIONS
3. From your personal, educational, or fieldwork experiences discuss a conflictual
situation. Describe how you did (or would) use assertive communication and conflict
resolution skills to effectively deal with this situation.