Page 97 - EAP Manual
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Interpersonal Effectiveness Barriers
Many things can get in the way of communicating effectively and respectfully with others. Common barriers may be:
Lack of Skill
This means not knowing what to say or how to act because I have learned the skill or watched others do it.
Worries
Fear, unknowns, and anxiety can get in the way of using skills or trying something new. Sometimes we worry about:
Bad consequences:
o “Theywon’tlikeme.”
o “Theskillswon’tworkanyway.”
Doing something wrong:
o “Iwon’tsayitright.”
o “I’llprobablyscrewthisup.”
Judgments from others:
o “She’llthinkI’mstupid.”
o “They’llthinkI’mcrazy.”
Not being good enough:
o “Idon’tdeservetogetwhatIwant” o “I’mnotsmartenoughforthis”
Indecision
It can be hard to know what I want at times.
Who do I talk to?
How much do I ask for?
WhendoIsaynoandwhendoIgivein?
Feelings
Thinking and acting from Feeling Mind can impact interactions with others.
How can feelings of anger, fear, and sadness harm relationships?
Environment
Our behavior can also be influenced by the setting, people, and situation itself. Sometimes, other people:
Don’t have or use skills
Have their own needs & wants
Are in charge/have authority
What things in your environment make it hard to interact respectfully with others?
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