Newly promoted SGT Lee acquired some interpersonal communication skills from the e-Learning training programme under the Psychological Competency Training. He applied the skills at work, earning the appreciation of a Macao visitor.

When SGT Lee was a Police Constable working in the Miscellaneous Enquiry Sub-unit of Kwai Chung Division not long ago, he investigated the death of an elderly who died in his home in a public housing estate. The deceased only had relatives in Macao, and two of them were invited to Hong Kong to assist in the investigation. As they could only stay in Hong Kong for a short time, they worried about not having sufficient time to arrange the funeral service, return the house to the Housing Authority and deal with the deceased's property.

SGT Lee then applied his communication skills by listening to their needs and concerns and explaining the necessary procedures. He later received a letter from the deceased's relatives, saying that what the officers did had given them a very good impression of the Hong Kong Police.

SGT Lee learned from the e-Learning programme the importance of using good communication skills to handle citizens. He applied the skills of "WIRE", i.e. "Warm", "Interest", "Respect" and "Empathetic Understanding", in this case to earn the trust of the public, and subsequently relieve their grief and worries.

SSGT Lau talked about how he used the skills he had picked up from a Train-the-Trainer Workshop in communicating with his son. One day upon returning home after work, he found his 12-year-old son a bit depressed and reluctant to talk to anybody. As such behaviour was rather rare, he tried to make his son confide his problems by using the open questions and communication skills acquired at an "Emotional Regulation" Workshop. He then responded to what his son said with empathetic listening. Eventually his son said he was worried about not being able to pass his school examination.

Tips on psychological competency are available from the e-learning and self-learning packages of the "Psychological Competency Training Resource Bank" at the Learning Portal.