This document discusses different types of professional-client relationships and effective communication skills. It identifies four main types of professional-client relationships: agency, friendship, paternalism, and fiduciary. The most ideal is the fiduciary relationship, which allows equal decision making between professional and client. Effective communication skills are important for careers involving interactions with people. These skills can also help communication in other settings and relationships beyond the professional context. The document provides tips for developing strong interpersonal communication skills.

1. Sepideh Vafadar, Camelia Baher,
Lucia Martinez, Jeannen Ly

2. • A professional and client relationship is a
relationship between an expert in a field and a
patron who is using their services.
Characteristics of Professional & Client
relationship:
Low in interdependence.
Could be personal or impersonal

3. • Agency: where the client is reliant on the professional for
their expertise. The client holds the responsibility and
authority and the professional takes direction to better suit
the needs of the client. Example of relationship:
professional is a lawyer.
• Friendship: where both client and professional are mutually
trusting of one another. There's also an equal
understanding; relationship becomes much more personal.
When both parties act upon shared interests. Many
professional relationships can have this potential.

5. • Paternalism: where the professional is placed on a
superior level in the relationship because of their
expertise and knowledge. Example of relationship:
professional is a lawyer.
• Fiduciary: where the professional is allowed to make
decisions provided that the client consents to the
action. The client has authority equally to the
professional. This differs from friendship in a way
where it is equal without having personal involvement
and focuses on tasks and objectives. This professional
client relationship is the most ideal.

7. • As communicative interactions are habitual in
individuals, a relationship like the
Professional-Client relationship can transcend
into other relationships:
• - Coworkers
• - Subordinate Roles
• - Leadership Roles
• -Interpersonal Relationships

9. • Career involving interactions with people necessitates these skills to
facilitate healthy environments.
• Employers have identified these skills as highly desirable. Effectiveness
of communication is very important.
These professions include but aren't limited to:
• Social Workers
• Contractors
• Doctors
• Athletes
• Lawyers
• Teachers and professors
• There is endless potential for these skills as they help in honing
personal abilities to communicate in other settings.

11. • A desire in wanting to improve interpersonal
communication skills for career advancement
is highly encouraged.
• Develop your self concept
-Reflect on your needs as a professional.
-Ask people what your strengths are in
communication.
-Ask people what your weaknesses are in
communication.

12. • It is important that you're ready to see other
people as equal persons in order to collaborate
with them best.
*Weaknesses in perceiving others include:
snap judgments (stereotyping)
-holding onto first impressions as an overall
representation of that individual
-being influenced by expectations
-being overly focuses on shortcomings

14. • Engage in active listening
• Paraphrasing to reflect understanding
• Having a neutral viewpoint about situations
that seem personal
• Confirming Communication:
-Expressing Acknowledgement
-Recognition
-Engaged in Listening

16. • Always going to be involved an interpersonal
relationship of any type
• Striving for better human connection
• Building better mutual understanding
between yourself and others
• Inspired to make a change in your own and
other people’s lives

18. • Through healthy relationships and
communication, individuals will have better
personal development and better sense of self
and direction.

19. • We hope that our presentation has inspired
the class to evaluate your communication
style
• We also hope that the class has learned these
concepts of stylistic communication

20. We would like to leave the class with an
inspiring message of resilience and
persistence.