Praise for Making Working Relationships Work. The TRIPS Toolkit for handling relationship challenges and promoting rapport
A truly impressive book! Its accessible and easy manner belies its sophistication, resting as it does on a rich foundation of serious scholarship skilfully distilled from linguistics, psychology, sociology and more. I was expecting to read the book from an academic perspective, but I kept finding myself making mental notes on how to deal with my own workplace problems, both as an employee and as a manager – where was this book when I first had to run a department!
Professor Jonathan Culpeper, Head of Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University
Making Working Relationships Work is a practical and insightful read. From the clear and informative study of rapport, to the perceptive examination of workplace roles and relationships, the authors have organised multiple concepts and theories into a useful guide with real-world examples and useful tools.
Roisin Reilly, Internal Communication and Management of Change, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
The TRIPS rapport management framework simplifies the many variables that affect rapport, and this provides the basis for a fascinating look at how humans relate to each other. Most importantly, the book’s exploration of the complexities and entanglements of workplace relationships encourages the reader to reflect on their own approach to building connections and rapport with their colleagues.
There is no doubt that Making Working Relationships Work will become a vital guide for leaders, managers, and professionals leading people through change in the workplace.
This book provides a robust framework (the TRIPS Toolkit) for building excellent working relationships within the workplace and acts as a valuable guide for solving team-relationship problems within any organization striving for growth. It illustrates effectively the complex and nuanced challenges people often face in different workplace settings and that may affect their motivation. It reveals how these factors may be perceived differently by different people, and what can be done to enhance productivity and team harmony. I highly recommend this book as a working manual for all business leaders, managers and individual employees seeking to foster an environment that promotes wellbeing and productivity for all.
Boboye Adeniji Oluwafemi, Managing Partner, PELSE Consulting
Helen Spencer-Oatey and Domna Lazidou have achieved the impossible in writing an engaging and genuinely insightful book about the challenges of workplace relationships that is relevant for professionals, scholars, and students alike. Making Working Relationships Work introduces an accessible and practical framework for navigating relationships in the workplace that is carefully grounded in decades of painstaking empirical research. It’s a truly remarkable volume and a must-read for anyone who wants to know how to better manage working life.
Professor Michael Haugh, School of Languages and Cultures, The University of Queensland
As a consultant focused on working with organisations interested in creating inclusive workplace cultures, Making Working Relationships Work is an excellent addition to my toolkit. It offers a comprehensive yet practical and accessible guide to gaining a deep understanding of workplace relationships and their dynamics. The TRIPS rapport management framework is super helpful in that it asks us to pause and reflect on the complexity of what influences our relationships. With an emphasis on self-awareness and mutual understanding, a strong theoretical underpinning, and plenty of relatable case studies that demonstrate the applicability of the tools to a variety of workplace scenarios, this book supports us in making our relationships work. If you’re looking for a quick fix to building healthy communication cultures at work, this is not the book for you. If you’re looking to make lasting and meaningful change to professional interactions in your workplace, I recommend getting a copy.
Tanya McCalmon, Director, Inclusion Consultant, Lennox Learning & Development
Making Working Relationships Work inspires us to reflect on the challenges of our own contexts at work with authentic case studies. It is superbly researched and grounded in a deep understanding of both psychology and pragmatics. The TRIPS rapport management framework introduced in the book contains tools and strategies to resolve the toughest issues arising at the intersection of the interpersonal and the organizational. As a practitioner in the complex organizational landscape of higher education, the book has supplied me with a harvest of new insights that will enhance the variety of working relationships I must engage in daily.
Dr Brandon Conlon, Assistant Director of Faculty and Postdoctoral Professional Development, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
We all have questions about human dynamics in the workplace, from “why is it so hard?” to “why are some people so awkward?!” This book is a comprehensive and insightful guide to the complexities & intricacies of how we relate to each other, get annoyed & fall out – and what to do about it. Read this & follow the step-by-step reflections and actions, to improve your communication & relationships.
Helen Frewin, Business Psychologist, CEO Totem Consulting & author of Better Than Confidence
Effective workplace relationships are central to a thriving work environment, yet the skills of navigating challenges and fostering connections are so often overlooked. Making Working Relationships Work provides clear frameworks and practical strategies that would be useful in any workplace context. You will recognise yourself, your colleagues, and managers throughout the many case studies – for better or worse.
Dr Matthew Iasiello, Mental Health & Wellbeing Program, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
Helen Spencer-Oatey and Domna Lazidou’s new book “Making Working Relationships Work” is a perfect guide to creating better relationships with colleagues. It offers meaningful and concrete suggestions for solving some of our most pressing challenges. I loved the guided reflection, case studies, and suggestions for leading more productive conversations with others and becoming the best communicator I can be. For any professional, this book is a must-have.
Julien C. Mirivel, PhD – Professor of Applied Communication, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Founder of the Positive Communication Network
