Peer relationships are vital to the mental and social well-being of every individual. Building friendships is a part of every individual’s life and is helpful in the enrichment of one’s living. Close friends are a refuge from the negatives in life. They lend a helping hand in times of trouble, a shoulder to lean on and bring smiles to brighten up life. Being a social animal, a human being seeks friends at all point of time in life. The human instinct of living in groups for mental and social security manifests itself in his tendency to make friends. Building, improving and maintaining healthy relationships with peers, results in the healthy development of an individual.
Peer relationships help enhance one’s interpersonal skills and leadership qualities in childhood, help one fight his or her problems and express oneself in adolescence and help overcome solitude in later life. Relationships with peers in office help in the enrichment of one’s professional life. Good relations with peers at work enhance the positive atmosphere at work, thus achieving productivity. Improving peer relations fosters the team spirit of the people in an organization, helps in effective distribution of work, making them focused on achieving their company goals. Thus relations with peers play a part in every walk of one’s life.
Tips on Improving Peer Relations
Nurture social skills such as understanding other people and listening to them and learn to express your thoughts and emotions in acceptable ways. Nurturing of social skills includes the development of one’s interpersonal intelligence, which helps in communicating with the people around. Since the early years of social exposure, one needs to be trained to express oneself while understanding the perspectives of others. Every person needs to be taught to listen, understand and respect the feelings of others.
Empathy forms an important part of peer relations. Feeling for others helps in improving these relations. It is important to know that every human being has his/her own way of looking at things and reacting to them. Trying to accept people as they are and taking efforts to adjust with them defines empathy. Due consideration to one’s sentiments and due regard for one’s views on life helps in improving peer relations.
Conflicts can become a part of communication. An effective resolution of conflicts and an ability to deal with debates is an important aspect of improving peer relationships. Disagreements are a part of conversations. It is during such times that one’s social abilities come into play. One needs to think prudently about the conflict, contemplate both sides of the issue and devise ways to resolve the conflict. Minor disagreements can spoil relationships and in avoiding this, lie the interpersonal skills of an individual.
Avoiding behavior that can annoy your peers, results in improved relations with them. When you are with your peers, avoid saying or acting in a manner that can irritate them. Taking a step towards them can lead in them taking two steps to adjust with you. But someone has to initiate. It is obvious that no two people can think alike. They are bound to have different opinions on certain issues and varying ways of looking at life. But relationships are about respecting the other person’s identity while preserving your own. Avoiding actions that annoy your peers is a step forward towards improving your relationship.
The interpersonal skills, which apply to personal relationships, can be applied effectively to professional relationships as well. Social skills that play a role in friendships hold true in case of peer relations at work too. Listening skills, empathy and adaptability are key factors in improving relations with peers. Improving peer relationships is sure to positively impact every sphere of life.
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