Interpersonal communication is the process of how individuals exchange information, feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal cues.Interpersonal communication is important to our daily interactions we often count on others to care about what is happening so that we are better equipped to handle life. We need others to encourage our personal and professional progress through life. For those that believe in us, they often enable us to overcome obstacles and self-defeating patterns that block us from becoming our true selves. The same can be said for coworkers and managers, through encouragement they lift us up so that we are able to be more productive and efficient in the workplace. Communication often allows us to develop identities, create new relationships, and work through issues. The diversity in life that we encounter on a daily basis invites us to understand and respect different perspectives and forms of communication. Through these interactions with people who differ from our own background we are able to learn better forms of communication allowing us to strengthen our interpersonal skills.
Some examples of interpersonal skills include:
Active Listening
Effective listening maintains the idea that we have to adopt a mindful approach to remaining in the moment while putting aside any preconceptions. Maintaining mindful listening is one of the highest forms of respect that we can show to another person because it conveys a message that they matter to us. This form of listening takes practice and is not something that we are able to learn without constant practice and communication with others. Active listening is a form of listening that is adapted to others. Some individuals need prompting or encouragement while others may need silence. We have to be open to the different forms of listening behaviors to understand which ones are important to each situation. To listen effectively, we must maintain focus and learn to interpret others ideas and feelings becoming an integral partner in problem solving.
Teamwork
Whether your job requires you to work alone or in a group, you will need to understand how to effectively collaborate with others. Building collaboration means building trust among your coworkers to meet a deadline or goal. Successful collaboration involves a cooperative spirit and respect where team members are willing to balance personal achievement with group goals. Teamwork involves the ability to listen to each other, communicate your own goals, motivate team members to stay on track, and resolve conflicts that may arise.
Reliability
The integrity to see things through until the end demonstrates our individual ability to build trust between yourself and those who rely on you. Maintaining reliability also encourages others to seek your assistance when an issue arises. Holding yourself accountable for your actions can be very difficult to maintain whether professionally or personally. But the benefits outway the uncomfortable nature of being accountable for one’s behavior. Responding in ways that demonstrate that you are aware of your mistakes and you are willing to make the changes required to avert future mistakes demonstrates your own reliability.
Leadership
Interpersonal skills are important to the role of a leader in that they allow individuals to reach a shared goal. Leadership skills require effective decision making which incorporates motivating strategies that encourage others to complete tasks to reach a desired outcome. Using leadership skills in conjunction with interpersonal skills allows leaders to gain the ability to connect to others in a more positive way. Interpersonal skills enable successful leaders to accomplish a wide range of goals and motivates employees to be more productive.
Interpersonal communication is an important aspect of our daily lives which helps to shape personal identity while allowing us to express who we are. When we enter the world of communication we are not aware of how we should interact with those we encounter. It is only through learning and understanding how diverse our society is that we can begin to peel back our perceptions of others. How we communicate through verbal and non-verbal expression is an identifying factor that allows us to venture beyond the confines of our family and friends. We learn to communicate more effectively by allowing interpersonal skills to evolve becoming more interested in the world around us.
Within You 