The quality of our relationships is a major factor in life’s success. This holds true whether the personal definition of success is financial, career, or personal happiness. Our interpersonal skills have a direct impact on our interpersonal relationships. Improving these skills is critical to continuing personal development and growth. Identifying bad habits we have collected will help us to break the habits and improve our interpersonal relationships.

Studies show that good relationships are important to a sense of happiness and fulfillment. People in committed, intimate relationships live longer and are healthier than others. In business and professional success our network of relationships is critical. Whether looking for a job, seeking a promotion, working for a big sale, or selling an idea, the support of others is critical.

Six typical bad habits that limit interpersonal skills and, therefore, undermine important relationships are:

Dominating conversations:
Among the more annoying of situations is the one-way conversation occurring when one person turns everything into a personal platform to talk about themselves. Unable to get more than a few words in before the dominator takes over, we give up, nod, grunt, and look frantically for an exit.

Having the last word:
The typical last-word-master takes anything one party says and exceeds it. Implied is the phrase, “I can top that.” This is a specific form of conversation domination, generally conveying the message that no matter what the first party described, the dominator has had it better (or worse).

Why it won’t work:
This is a know-it-all habit, with the double whammy that it’s also negative. Any idea, suggestion, or improvement offered is immediately discounted with a lengthy description of all the reasons it won’t work. It may even be thinly veiled as a compliment, as in, “That’s a good idea, but…”

Making Excuses:
When someone points out an annoying behavior, we can always fall back on, “Well, that’s just the way I am, I’ve always been that way.” As if change is either impossible or unwise, this habit justifies an annoying behavior as genetic.

Showing off:
This is a variation of dominating conversations, with the added twist of inserting information with the sole purpose to impress. “Look what I know,” we seem to be saying, and “Aren’t you impressed that I know this?”

Passing judgment:
Of the six, this bad habit may be the most damaging to interpersonal relationships and success. This is the habit of being “captain of the world,” setting the standard for all to live up to and labeling people according to a personal classification system. Passing judgment is disrespectful of others, even more so than the previous five habits. Passing judgment nullifies the individuality and uniqueness of others.