Dana Sumpter Publishes Research on Interpersonal Relationships at Work

Pepperdine Graziadio faculty member Dana Sumpter, along with Chris Reina of Virginia Commonwealth University and Maura Mills of the University of Alabama, recently published research on interpersonal relationships in the workplace. While being mindful is most typically considered an individual experience, the authors created a multilevel model developing how individuals can be mindful with each other, as they perform interdependent work.

The research, published in Personnel Psychology, theorizes how the extent to which interaction partners are congruent in their mindful relating approaches associated with interaction quality (positive, ambivalent, indifferent, and negative) — and how, over time, this shapes the trajectory of a work relationship. Sumpter, Reina, and Mills explain how their theory-building can guide future work and provide recommendations for how managers can apply their theorizing in their workplace interpersonal interactions.

To read the full study, click here.