Reference no: EM132842446

What should be recommended in John's case? Should he be fire from the job or not? If so why? How can John be helped?

Which of the interpersonal skills John lack? How should he improve on these skills?

John is an intern at Acme Health Insurance Co. He is hired for a two-month internship program which includes assisting advocates, interacting with their clients, and attending court sessions. However, after a few days, John's performance suffered greatly which led to inefficiency and client dissatisfaction. Upon examining John's work habits closely, the manager realized that he lacked interpersonal skills.

Problems

1. Verbal communication

John did not have good verbal communication skills. When interacting with his seniors, John often could not speak out his mind nor put his ideas across to his colleagues and seniors. His manner of speaking was flat and often lacked professionalism. He did not use professional language and sometimes ended up being rude to his seniors. This created confusion and a communication block between him and the others in the workplace.

2. Non-verbal communication

John's non-verbal communication skills lacked miserably. His body language was off-putting and he often gave off a negative vibe. He would not make eye contact while speaking with others and often spoke in a somewhat rude tone. His gait was awkward and often sat in the wrong position, with one leg up the other.

3. Listening skills

John was not a good listener. When meeting with clients, he did not take notes properly while they were talking. This was because he did not pay attention to what the clients had said. Hence, there were several instances of misunderstanding by John, which led to a communication gap with the client.

4. Negotiation

John lacked negotiation skills. When talking with clients, John often spoke back without really understanding the clients' situation. He would often show signs of irritation and point out flaws in the client instead of talking over them.

5. Problem-solving

When questioned about various legal solutions as part of his training, John often lacked the ability to solve problems efficiently. He could not come up with efficient solutions nor could he suggest ideas to the clients and seniors.

6. Decision-making

John suffered from a lack of decision-making skills. Not only was he unable to solve given problems but he also lacked the ability to make decisions.

7. Assertiveness

Finally, John's overall confidence was affected by his lack of assertiveness. He was often non-responsive when asked or told something. He also refrained from pointing out mistakes or suggest new ideas.