HCVBD Word Document

8/13/2019 HCVBD Word Document

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One's relationship with other human beings

HUMAN RELATIONS:

Meaning :

Meaning According to Keith Davis : human relations is an area of management practice which is

concerned with the integration of people into a work situation in a way that motivates them to

work productively , cooperatively & with economic , psychological & social satisfaction.

Human Relations defined

The way in which two people, groups and countries behave towards each other. An aggregation of all forms of interactions between/among persons or groups in a

particular situation.

Involves the content and quality of interactions among people and is defined by both theobservable behaviour in the interaction and the feelings that are associated with it.

Characteristics of HR:

Characteristics of HR Integrative process through which the goals of the organization & the

interests of the people working in it are harmonized. The basic objective of the human relations

is to ensure that both employee satisfaction & company productivity are simultaneously

achieved.

Human relations is an interdisciplinary field. It involves use of knowledge from sociology ,

psychology , anthropology & other sciences for the study of human behavior. Human relations is

an action oriented approach to build human cooperation towards organizational goals.

It is an action oriented approach to build human cooperation towards organizational goals .it

seeks to make employees both happy & productive. Scope of human relation is wide.


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Advantage of HR:

Advantage of HR Higher performance Optimum use of resources Moral justification

Understanding of human factor.

Approaches of HR:

Approaches of HR Negative Approach Natural Approach Positive Approach.

Negative Approach:

Negative Approach According to this people by nature are lazy & self centered. They can never

be trusted into days work unless closely supervised. therefore this approach suggests that people

need to be pushed & controlled regularly.

Natural Approach:

Natural Approach According to it people are adaptable i.e behavior is not result of human nature

but it is through experience Different types of situation requires different type of behavior from

people Therefore management should create & maintain a proper match between people & their

settings.

Positive Approach:

Positive Approach According to this approach people strive for personal & social well being.

They can be fully trusted to put in a good days work. They work sincerely without supervision

provided they get intrinsic satisfaction with their job. there it is the task of management to see

that the job of every employee is challenging. this approach requires democratic leadership &

participative decision making.

Essentials of HR:

Essentials of HR Importance of person Recognition of differences among individuals Common

interest Develop favorable conditions Encourage collective efforts Recognize inter- relationships


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Human needs Recognition of work Workers participation in management Proper leadership &

communication.

Criticism of HR:

Criticism of HR Invalid Anti individualistic Short sighted Conflict Group decision making Over

concern with happiness.

Main components of HR:

Main components of HR Work group Leader Work environment.

Problems in HR:

Problems in HR Conflict between individual & organization Individual differences Interpersonal

conflicts Incongruence between roles.

Techniques of HR:

Techniques of HR Integration Employee participation Congenial work environment Open

communication Adaptive leadership Resolving conflicts Conditioning behavior Personnel

counseling.

Principles of HR:

Principles of HR According to STAN KOSSEN : The six important words : I admit I made a

mistake The five most important words: You did a good job The four important words: what

is your opinion

The three important words : if you please The two most important words: thank you The one

most important word: we The least important word: I


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About Human Relationships

To be awaken, one needs to simplify one's life and realize that it is the ego (or the collective

thought and emotional patterns) that create a world that separates you from the rest of the

world... and thus the process of awakening can never be reached, since "life" then is based on afabrication of your thoughts and emotions... this is because the ego hasn't yet integrated its real

function, which is to SERVE the physical body and protect it... But the ego is also important to

help us live in the world and develop interrelations with other things and human beings... So

are there ways to help the sincere seeker to change the ego's mental and emotional patterns?

Yes there is a very good way of bringing the necessary transformations... and this new way

allows you to perceive others differently. Let me explain:

In practical daily living, a human being hardly ever lives alone - awaken masters living alone

are rare and scarce. In our ordinary lives we usually develop intimate relationships. Such

relationships, which seemed perfect for a while, when the two are 'in love', somehow quickly

turn into love-hate relationships as arguments and conflicts begin to occur with increasing

frequency and intensity. The end result can usually be easily foreseen; divorce, or a break in

partnership... Each partner may feel that the next relationship would certainly be better, ... and

the same pattern appears with other partners and the ideal picture of what a partner should be

evaporates as in a dream... and when this illusion is realized, the interactions amongst humansusually end up into frustration.So what are we to do to change this kind of unhealthy situations?

The fact of the matter is that intimate human relationship is basically not any different from any

relationship between 'me' and the 'other'. And avoiding any kind of relationship in life is just

not feasible or practical, and is just not the answer. The answer is to be sought in seeking the

basis of any and every relationship, intimate or otherwise. The basis of a relationship an office

colleague, or a cat or a dog that visits you regularly, is truly not different from any intimate

relationship. The basic reason for the relationship going unpleasant is the same: the 'other'

does something that you do not like, and likes and dislikes must necessarily be different in

different people. In other words, the only way a relationship - formal or intimate -can continue

smoothly in peace and harmony is when both persons concerned are able to accept that the

'other person' and everyone else in the world has an ego, each with a different "inner


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programming"... It is this inner programming that unfolds in one's life... it is this same psyche

that dictates to the ego (or mind) how to behave, act and react in life... Hence, it is not the ego

personality that lay down the rules of anything...it can only follow inner and outer conditioning

and impulses... which are translated into mental thoughts and emotional reactions... the ego is a

functioning of a body-mind and in reality it is, we repeat, restricted by the programming in the

psyche [or body-mind organism]..

By unfolding the inner programming in an individual, the psyche develops gradually an ego

from childhood - this ego is also known as the ego personality,. What we have to understand

therefore, is that as human beings we are not governed by the ego... but by other factors which

are the psyche or inner programming - the persona or ego personality of an individual can

only reflect whatever the inner programming allows (some call it karma) in addition to thegenes and the conditioning in the body-mind organism...

So why is it that we easily make judgment and condemn and criticize others, when we know

that the ego reflects only the positive and negative aspects of the psyche and the genes of a

person? The only way any relationship with the 'other' (whomever it might be) can function

smoothly and harmoniously is for both the partners to understand the unavoidable limitations of

the psyche, the genes and environmental conditioning in both body-mind organisms. In

practical terms, what this means is that each 'me' must be able to accept that the 'other' truly has

no control over what he or she seems to be 'doing'. His/her 'thinking' is based on the

programming (psyche, plus genes, plus environmental conditioning) and his/her 'doing' is based

only on his/her destiny, or the Will of God or the Source of Being, and this is done according to

a conceptual eternal Cosmic Law, the basis of which no human being can ever possibly

understand.

When you accept that the 'other' has his/her own destiny to unfold and experience... you respect

that destiny... you honor that life and let it be... and therefore as a result, you do not interfere...

However, you might be asked to give an advice or, you might feel an impulse and a need to do

so, and you should go ahead and say it... but will that advise be accepted and taken aboard,


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will it be taken into account?... This is completely another matter and the outcome should not

concerns you anymore...

I have applied this philosophy in my life, because I know that it works for me and my

husband... I am married and live a very happy and content life with my partner because we both

understand and have realized that this Cosmic Law is true... I have a son, a daughter in law and

two grandchildren... I know that these children will grow in a certain atmosphere with certain

conditioning imposed upon them... will they later in life carry the same conditionings or will

these be discarded to be replaced by more powerful conditioning? Or will they have a middle

life crisis and decide that the real positive conditioning comes from within? When one reaches

this point of no return... one simply enters the Path... that takes one to his/her divine ROOTS...

called with different names: the Soul or Consciousness for some the Mind or the Self forothers... whichever word you choose is the best one for you... and this is when your QUEST

begins... which is to discover your true Self... your true Divine Origin...Painting by Alan Senior

1 - Observe and accept the needs of others... acknowledge that people need to have different

experiences to express their inner programming

2- Contemplate and meditate on the concept that there is a unique Energy that penetrates all

creation. Call it what you will: Absolute CONSCIOUSNESS - the UNIVERSAL SOUL - theHIGHER SELF - GOD ... this Unique Energy makes your body-mind, your psyche and ego

consciousness stay alive - without that absolute Energy there could be no creation...no

universe... no world... no life - this knowledge and realization could be helpful to you in

making you empathize with all sentient beings and with the whole of creation ... unfolding

gradually in you a deep feeling of compassion and unconditional Love.

3 - Realize that individuals are different from each others because they each have a different

inner programming that unfolds in their psyche and manifests in their ego or persona... Each

sentient being is an expression of the Source of Being or of God - so can we condemn it...?

Each object and sentient being has its place and role to play... be it grand or insignificant to

you... Use your intuition and know that there are many truths and reasons for things to be as

they are for reasons that are beyond the scope of our understanding.. be humble....


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4- If you meditate on these points you will soon come to feel very different and therefore you

will notice that you are not stressed or frustrated anymore...or at least not as much as before...

and this is because you have stopped judging and imposing your points of views and moral

values on others and as a result you feel much more energetic - your thoughts and feelings give

give you a sense of FREEDOM and You know that you are awake...

So ask yourself this crucially important question, which is:

How do I perceive the ego now... and what is its role in my life?

Necessity of Human Relationships

Relationships are connection between persons. We share a relationship with our family, with

friends and most important of all we share a relationship with God. Relationships can be

personal, impersonal, close or distant. A personal relationship would be a relationship on your

own personal time. An impersonal relationship would be a relationship with the public. A close

relationship would be someone who lives close to you or a family member. A distant relationship

would be a relationship you share with someone who you know who lives far away from you and

you can only talk to them on the phone or through Internet.

At birth, we experience our first relationship with our mother and as we grow up we will have a

whole web of relationships. In human life, relationships are very important for human survival

and development. A beautiful union exists between 3 relationships: a relationship with others, a

relationship with oneself and a relationship with God, our father. It is clear, God created us to

live in relationship with others, so why not make the best of it. When a relationship is loving and

intimate we experience God through these relationships.

If a friend of mine was going on his/her first date I would give him/her advice for this date. I

would advise him/her to consider these rules. First don speak in a rough voice. Your language is

really important so your date wont get upset and slap you across the face. Next, know where to

draw the line and respect your date. Dont get physical on your first date. Make sure you take


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your date in a public place where a lot of people are there. Dont take your date to a private room

or closed places. Ask your date questions about her/his life and joke around a bit. Make sure you

have money to cover expenses of a movie or something that you purchased in the mall. And do

not ask your date to pay for it. You should let your date meet your parents when you are

comfortable. Dont force your date to see your parents. And thats about it. This is all I would

tell my friend.

In conclusion, relationships are very important. Without human relationships a person cant go

through life. A person needs to communicate with someone. The only reason God created Eve

for Adam is because Adam was lonely. Loneliness can kill a person. And these are the reasons

why relationships are important

Characteristics of human relationship with others

Hr integrative process through which the relationship of the people & the interests of thepeople working in it are harmonized.

Human relations is an interdisciplinary field

It involves use of knowledge from sociology , psychology , anthropology & othersciences for the study of human behavior.

Human relations is an action oriented approach to build human cooperation towards otherhuman beings.

It is an action oriented approach to build human cooperation towards other human beingsit seeks to make employees both happy & productive.

Scope of human relation is wide


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Human beings

working together

protecting each other from mistakes

Human beingsthey live, they learn, they grow. they take care of their families.

and they work.

and work is important to them because, well, beyond making a living, work is how they express

themselves, how they express their values, and how they improve the world.

and more often than not, these human beings work with other human beings, who work with

other human beings, and so onall of them working together, like, well, a working family.

so heres the catch all these human beings work together, but each one is still an individual.

all of them are equal, but none of them are the same each one has different skills, different

views, different talents, different ways of learning, different ways of working.

But one thing they do have in common is mistakes. every one of them makes mistakes in fact,

an average of five mistakes each hour. its part of being human.

Now heres the kicker most of the time, human beings arent even aware that theyre making

these mistakes.

So if everyone makes mistakes all the time, how can we reduce the effects of mistakes?

well, the human beings might be controlled or restricted, but after a certain point, they cant do

their work.

So how can people do their work and still reduce the effects of mistakes?

What human beings can do is learn from the mistakes so they can predict future mistakes.

So when mistakes happen, the human beings can report their mistakes, and share their mistakes,

and then everyone learns from their mistakes.

and once everyone starts learning from each others mistakes, then everyone can take care of

each other, by building a system that predicts mistakes and protects people from their mistakes.

So when mistakes do happen, the consequences are of little or no, well, consequence.


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and the responsibility for this system lies with all of us where we work.

because we all have the responsibility to take care of our working family.

Bo how does management plug in? with management commitment supporting worker-driven

Safetyto always protect people while they work.

But heres the other kicker. while people are working, they never work in total isolation.

They are surrounded by many goals and many messages some official, some unofficial

some spoken, some left unspoken. but all of them happening at the same time.

Principles of Relationship

RESPECT: This is defined as the feeling of admiration for people and polite behaviourresulting from this.

APPRECIATION: Defined here as a full or sympathetic understanding of a person. RECIPROCITY: This is the principle or practice of mutual exchange in interactions. EMPATHY: This is the ability to imagine and share another persons feelings.

INTEGRITY: Always act in an honest and truthful way MANNERS: Never being selfish, boorish or undisciplined PERSONALITY: Always communicate your own values, attitudes and opinions APPEARANCE: Always present yourself to best advantage CONSIDERATION: Always see yourself from the other persons standpoint TACT: Think before you speak.


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Negative Impact Factors in Relationships

Perception challenges - stereotypes, biases, generalizations and assumptions Confusing judgement for objective evaluation Pretence and faking Poorly defined objectives, role/goal conflicts and ambiguities Pecking orders/transferred aggression Territorial defencessuspicion, resentment and distrust

WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIP WITH SUPERIORS

If the more highly developed person refuses to undertake the appropriate spiritual duty to assume

responsibility for the relationship and look for the core of dissension within, he or she willnever

really understand the mutual interaction, how one problem affects the other. the relationship

must then deteriorate, leaving both parties confused and less able to cope with the self and

others.on the other hand, if the spiritually developed person accepts this responsibility, he or she

will also help the other in a subtle way. if he or she can desist from the temptation to constantly

belabor the obvious sour points of the other and look within, he or she will raise his or her owndevelopment considerably and spread peace and joy. the poison of friction will soon be

eliminated. it will also become possible to find other partners for a truly mutual growth process.

When two equals relate, both carry the full responsibility for the relationship. this is indeed a

beautiful venture, a deeply satisfying state of mutuality. the slightest flaw in a mood will be

recognized for its inner meaning and thus the growth process is kept up. both will recognize their

co-creation of this momentary flaw -- whether it be an actual friction or a momentary deadness

offeelings. the inner reality of the interaction will become increasingly more significant. this will

largely prevent injury to the relationship.

Let me emphasize here that when i speak of being responsible for the less developed person,i do

not mean that another human being can ever carry the burden for the actual difficulties of


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others. this can never be. what i mean is that difficulties of interaction in a relationship are

usually not explored in depth by the individual whose spiritual development is more primitive.

he or she will render others responsible for his or her unhappiness and disharmony in a given

interaction and is not able, or willing, to see the whole issue. thus that person is not in a position

to eliminate the disharmony. only those who assume responsibility for finding the inner

disturbance and mutuall effect can do so. hence the spiritually more primitive person always

depends on the spiritually more evolved one.

A relationship between individuals in which the destructiveness of the less developed one makes

growth, harmony, and good feelings impossible, or in which the contact is over whelm mingly

negative, should be severed. as a rule, the more highly developed person should assume the

initiative. if he or she does not, this indicates some unrecognized weakness and fear that needs to

be faced. if a relationship is dissolved on this ground; namely, that it is more destructive and pain

producing than constructive and harmonious, it should be done when the inner problems and

mutual interactions are fully recognized by the one who takes the initiative to dissolve an old tie

.this will prevent him or her from forming a new relationship with similar underlying currents

and interactions. it also means that the decision to sever the connection has been made because

of growth, rather than as a result of spite, fear, or escape.

To explore the underlying interaction and the various effects of a relationship where both

Peoplesdifficulties are laid bare and accepted, is by no means easy. But nothing can be more

Beautiful and rewarding. Anyone who comes into the state of enlightenment where this is

possible

Will no longer fear any kind of interaction. Difficulties and fears arise to the exact degree that

you

Still project on others your own problems in relating and still render others responsible for any

thing that goes against your liking. This can take many subtle forms. you may constantly

concentrate on the faults of others, because at first glance such concentration appears justified to

you. you may subtly overemphasize one side of an interaction, or exclude another. such

distortions indicate projection and denial of self-responsibility for the difficulties in relating.


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Some are the important points are

Be humble to learn Show faithfulness, loyalty & honesty Be truly committed to achieving organizational goals Be resolutely supportive of organizational ideals Ask for rights in a respectful way (be assertive) Be bold but not insolent Be courteous, but dont bootlick Cheerfully accept responsibilities

Workplace relationship with subordinates

Recognize the humanity in them Set high but reasonably achievable standards Be friendly and fair, yet firm Deal promptly with grievances Discipline but do not destroy Communicate clearly with empathy Delegate but do not abdicate Pay attention to their well being Set good examples and exhibit personal diligence

Stakeholder relations

Be trustworthy and reliable Be scrupulously ethical


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Avoid deceitful and misleading information Be conscious of safety (if we are in production) Listen attentively to customer complaints and take immediate appropriate steps both to

rectify and forestall future occurrences

Apologize, if necessary, in cases of disputes At all times employ the principles of TQM

Non-profit leaders were strategic about the relationships they initiated. Participants talked about the

importance of connecting with legislators on issues that have personal importance for the legislator.

This connection between the legislator and the issue serves as a point of entry and a means of

developing common ground upon which to initiate a relationship. One Greensboro focus group

member advised that If there's an area that they're adamant about then you know that's the one to goafter. You don't give up on the others but that's the one that you stick with pretty much. She

discussed this as a way of getting their ears on an issue.

Participants were careful to not use the personal issue of the policy maker as a means of exploitation,

but instead as a strategy for determining where to focus attention. The idea was to spend resources on

the policy makers who were most likely to become allies or champions for the specific cause.

Understanding this aspect of the policy-makers motivations was a way to determine where to

expend valuable resources. For instance a Charlotte executive director of a human service

organisation told the group:

I think if it is a legislator who has a personal connection to the issue, I think [legislator name] came

out recently about mental health theres a mental health issue and how her family and her

involvement in mental health was related to that. So I think if families of legislators have experienced

something similar, then I think it can be effective in that sense, but there has to be that personal

connection somehow.

Be truthful and knowledgeable

Like all interpersonal relationships, honesty and courtesy was deemed essential in the

relationships developed with policy makers in the lobbying process. The participants suggested


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that these aspects of relationship building, if ignored, can have dire consequences. A Triangle

area housing executive cautioned:

The other thing you have to do is to thank the people, and so thats always important to do.

Dont just say, Give me. But when they help, you say thank you and give them good, solid

information. Dont try to work them. Dont try to play the game because once you tell them

some stuff thats not true, youre dead in the water.

This honest, courteous interaction fosters the beginnings of the trust and networks required for

political and social capital. More than one participant reported receiving calls from policy

makers seeking information to support a bill or testimony on an issue. This level of trust and

reciprocity was often deemed the cornerstone of the relationship. The status of trusted resources

was valuable and often provided the foundation for subsequent interaction.

Other participants agreed with the importance of being available to provide accurate, trustworthy

information. The following exchange between two administrators in the Charlotte area

exemplified the premium on reliable information:

Administrator A: especially because we dont go with money it seems like you get places only

if you spend a lot of time building the relationships so they know you when you come back and

they know to trust your information. So then theres something that does kind of pull at their

heart or something, and youve got the information and they trust it because you have the

relationship, because that would be the only thing that we can use. We dont have money, just

the effort.

Administrator B: But sometimes, too, I think Ive seen it as the more and more you develop

relationships, the more and more youre involved, then they start to actually use you as a source,

and they call you and ask your opinion on certain things, or at least have their staff ask you about

something, and I think that thats important because that really says at least you have more of an

intimate contact with them.

Tell the story


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Participants unanimously supported using stories to bring the message and mission to life as

part of the lobbying process. Telling a story is not simply getting your message across for the

lobbying effort; it also engages policy makers and provides a path for involvement (e.g.,

emotional attachment, volunteerism, etc.). Since relationships are based on trust and shared

experiences, this provides the entry to more extensive interactions. One director from a youth

services organization in Raleigh discussed how she is able to link the experiences of the

legislator to the stories of her clients:

The most powerful stuff is when they are back in their districts and theyre seeing what local

folks are doing. Then when I can have a conversation with them they have a context and theyre

telling me stories and I can relate it to that, and that to me is where the real relationship building

happens.She went on to further discuss the impact, relaying success stories about her programmers

clients They love to hear about the kid who went to college, or the kid who got his grades

turned around who got expelled a year before. Thats not fluff, thats real stuff; thats why were

doing what were doing.

Storytelling provides the context for interactions, requests and proposed policies. The

participants often provided stories about the typical service recipient as a means of showing

impact, consequences, and implications of action or inaction.

Telling a story provided the basis for the openness, trust, and mutual understanding that is

required for relationship building. These stories served as the proxy for interaction with the

individuals of the organization. Many of the participants suggested that telling a few key stories

was more effective in making a connection than other methods of interaction or lobbying. One

executive director said, Id rather have those 10 folks than the thousand emails or phone calls

which, by and large, piss off the legislators because it takes their time, and they would far rather

have that real focused quiet [discussion].

These stories were deemed even more effective when they came directly from clients. While

providing these stories in letters was a good strategy, many of the participants explicitly

discussed the benefits of face-to-face interactions between the client and the policy maker. The


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organisations staff generally saw themselves as coordinators of these interactions, as described

by one executive from a housing and homelessness organisation:

Again I'd say through what we do is provide a context, a structure for people to come together

and understand these issues, for example, homelessness. So we've been experiencing people

going out into the streets for a night and developing relationships with some of the clients at the

[organisation name]. Through that relationship folks who then are moved to advocate more

readily, more aggressively on behalf of people that they've gotten to know through relationship.

There will be an investment of time

All of the participants agreed that the process of building trusting, honest relationships takes

time and effort. When asked explicitly about the amount of time it takes to build a relationship,

comments such as a long time were common responses. Theparticipants unanimously agreed

that it takes approximately three years to develop an enduring relationship with a policy maker.

Another executive director added, I say that its quicker for you if you have some of the same

philosophies or ideology; and I think that those who dont, you almost have to figure out a

different way to get at them. Although having a relationship does not guarantee a favourable

outcome, it makes the process easier and more pleasant. Participants in the Charlotte focus group

discussed the time and lack of guaranteed outcome in the following terms,

Administrator A: Youve got an intricate process already working. If they dont get re -elected,

youre starting all over again.

Administrator B: Well, yes. But with any luck, if theres someone that you were really working

on that hard and they get ousted, then maybe it will be someone whos more sympathetic to our

way of thinking [who gets the position].

Administrator C: Well, the other thing is you have to keep getting re-elected, so

One well-connected executive of a state-wide coalition discussed that it took several years to

develop the relationships that she currently enjoys. When asked how she did it and how long it

took, she responded Very slowly. It really was just going to as many things and there was a


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period of time and still is, that I work a lot of hours. Because I'm out, I have to be out and have to

be visible so I joined a million committees. She went on to discuss the committee leadership,

networks, and partnerships that were essential in developing relationships. Specifically, she hired

a consultant who provided introductions to decision-makers.

And I've *working with him+ for three years, and, and although it was a choice between hiring

[the consultant or] an assistant so I wasn't typing my own letters and coming in and working 80

hours a week. What he's been able to do for me in the organisation is far more valuable in the

long run; he can pick up the phone and call a senior vice president at [a large private university]

and say we really, we need you.

The relationship has to be with the organization

Similarly, several organizations used paid lobbyists to make initial introductions and then went

on to develop these relationships themselves. There was concern that the relationship would be

made with the lobbyist and not the organization. Therefore, the follow-up was essential to the

process and outcome of the lobbying effort. One director from the Triangle area said:

Our lobbyist will periodically introduce me to different people, but a lot of them dont know

who I am once our lobbyist walks out the door; I forget what that persons name is again. So I

just tryTheres certain people that I know are really keen on our position, so I always send an

email or send a personal letter with our newsletter, and just try to keep our name in front, as well

as my name in front, because its going to make a hill of beans if our development person sends

this person a letter; they dont know my development person, they know me.

This was a common strategy and one way administrators engaged their boards of directors,

advisory boards, and other friends of the organisation. Many of the administrators used board

members to make introductions to policy makers and other people of influence. One

administrator said:

I feel like I've got four, five, six, seven, eight good relationships but it's through board members.

It's through our state-wide organisation that provides the contacts that allowed me to build the

relationships without making cold calls, somebody who just didn't know me at all. So, I think

leverage just makes a tremendous difference.


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Discussion and implications: Relationships and lobbying

There are many reasons that relationship building with policy makers is

vital to effective lobbying. One of the stronger arguments for building relationships with

government officials is the competition that individual organisations and interest groups face

when trying to attract and maintain the officials attention (Teater, 2009). For instance, consistent

with the findings above, Hoeffer (2005) found that by developing positive relationships with

government officials, interest groups increased their level of access to representatives. Teater

(2009) explains that through relationship building, interest groups may make their issue more

personal to public officials while also increasing the organisations credibility. Relationship-

building activities that are effective for organisations include personal contact (i.e. face-to-face

meetings) with public officials and an organisations presence in the policy arena (Jackson -

Elmoore, 2005; Rees, 2000). The study participants emphasized the benefits of making issues

more personal by connecting the issues of the clients, the organizations mission, and the

interests of the policy maker.

While developing relationships in general is an important tactic in non-profit lobbying, research

has also shown that non-profit organizations are strategic in the relationships they cultivate and

maintain. Kovacs (2001) study demonstrated that advocacy groups consider the time

constraints of public officials when deciding on targets. The participants recognized the time

and energy investment necessary to cultivate sustained relationships. Further, they discussed

the level of risk that is involved. The participants fully understood that a cordial or even friendly

relationship did not always translate into favorable outcomes and that the relationship was

subject to the vagaries of the voting public.

Additionally, the research findings are congruent with Smacker (1991) who highlights the

importance of developing relationships with legislative staff, who are more accessible and may


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lead to further relationship building. Non-profit organizations may also be strategic on how they

contact public officials based on the officials preference on how they receive information (i.e.

mail, email, telephone) (Teater, 2009). The relationships developed with gatekeepers (e.g.,

staffers, assistants) were deemed as valuable as, if not more valuable than, interactions with the

policy maker. Often these relationships translated into thicker, more sustained, interactions than

visits with the policy maker.

Ledingham and Bruning (1998) provide five dimensions of relationships between organisations

and their publics: trust, openness, involvement, investment and commitment. The comments of

the study participants echo these dimensions. The participants explicitly stress the importance of

providing accurate information on policy issues (trust and openness); telling the story of clients

(involvement); and researching and identifying the issues of the policy maker (investment).

Understanding the utility of these dimensions within the lobbying context will provide a template

from which organizations can plan and coordinate their lobbying efforts.

Although the sample of this study was too small to conduct a statistical analysis, trends in these

data provide insight on relationship-building behaviors as they pertain to lobbying within the

non-profit sector. However, there remains a general lack of understanding on relationship

management and non-profit organizations, requiring further research. It is suggested that to

contribute to the existing literature on organizational-public relationship (OPRs) within the non-

profit sector, researchers should explore how existing studies on OPR in the for-profit sector

could be applicable to non-profit organizations. One example would be to replicate Burning,

Castle & Schaefers(2004) study on public attitudes of OPRs. This quantitative study examined

attitudes, such as specific organization, their confidence that the organization would improve the

community, and the attractiveness of the organization compared with others. Another example would

be to perform a large quantitative study examining Ledingham and Burnings(1998) five dimensions

of OPR dimensions as it pertains to non-profit organizations. While findings from such studies would

be useful to all non-profit organizations interested in focusing on OPR management, it may provide

particular insight for non-profit organizations engaging in grassroots organizing. Also, the

quantitative nature of these studies would address the limitations in generalisability of the current

studys findings given its focus group design


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Conclusion

People are an important factor in successful domestic and corporate lives. In concluding,

it will be nice for us to bear in mind the following tips on improving relationships

generally:

Show appreciation and develop an attitude of gratitude Accept and trust people. You may need them pretty soon Be agreeable/approachable, so that good things of life dont pass you by Learn to remember names. A person's name is the most important sound he/she hears and

it opens a lot of closed doors

Avoid argument. It breeds unnecessary conflicts Do good always. Remember retribution Respect the ideas and view point of others Try to be polite even when stressed Be cheerful and accommodating In all things, be upright Be friendly but firm, fair and assertive Communicate and listen empathically. Be wary of non-verbal cues; i.e. be sure your actions support your communication.

In conclusion, relationships are very important. without human relationships a person

cant go through life. a person needs to communicate with someone. the only reasongod

created eve for adam is because adam waslonely. loneliness can kill a person. and these

are the reasons why relationships are important


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Documents

HCVBD Word Document