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Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication is a specific type of communication. Communication, in general, is the use of symbols to represent ideas so that meanings can be shared. Street signs, magazines, podcasts, conversations, weblogs, and books are all examples of communication. These forms of communication use some kind of symbols – sounds, movements, or images – to represent ideas. During interpersonal communication, you use symbols in the form of talking, gesturing, or writing to represent the complex ideas in your mind. Interpersonal skills include speaking, explaining persuasion and active listening. In the modern business world ,it refers to the person’s ability to communicate and interact effectively within the organization with colleagues and seniors. Interpersonal communication is the process by which people exchange information, feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal messages: it is face-to-face communication. Whereas communication, in general, includes any use of symbols to represent meanings, interpersonal communication refers more specifically to communication that occurs between people and creates a personal bond between them. In interpersonal communication, one person’s actions both affect and reflect another person’s actions. Interpersonal communication is also personal. This doesn’t mean that interpersonal communication always involves private topics or that it only occurs in close relationships. Rather, it means that your unique qualities as a person matter during interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication often occurs in face-to-face interactions. Face-to-face interaction allows partners to communicate both verbally and nonverbally – with words, with gestures, and with body language Elements of Interpersonal Communication The Communicators For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. It is easy to think about communication involving a sender and a receiver of a message. However, the problem with this way of seeing a relationship is that it presents communication as a one-way process where one person sends the message and the other receives it. While one person is talking and another is listening, for example. In fact communications are almost always complex, two-way processes, with people sending and receiving messages to and from each other simultaneously. In other words, communication is an interactive process. While one person is talking the other is listening - but while listening they are also sending feedback in the form of smiles, head nods etc. The Message Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed, but also the non-verbal messages exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures and body language. Non-verbal behaviour can convey additional information about the spoken message. In particular, it can reveal more about emotional attitudes which may underlie the content of
speech. See our page:Effective Speaking for more on how you can use your voice to full effect. Noise Noise has a special meaning in communication theory. It refers to anything that distorts the message, so that what is received is different from what is intended by the speaker. Whilst physical 'noise' (for example, background sounds or a low-flying jet plane) can interfere with communication, other factors are considered to be ‘noise’. The use of complicated jargon, inappropriate body language, inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences can be considered 'noise' in the context of interpersonal communication. In other words, any distortions or inconsistencies that occur during an attempt to communicate can be seen as noise. Feedback: Feedback consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows the sender to know how accurately the message has been received, as well as the receiver's reaction. The receiver may also respond to the unintentional message as well as the intentional message. Types of feedback range from direct verbal statements, for example "Say that again, I don't understand", to subtle facial expressions or changes in posture that might indicate to the sender that the receiver feels uncomfortable with the message. Feedback allows the sender to regulate, adapt or repeat the message in order to improve communication. Our pages: Clarification and Reflectingdescribe common ways to offer feedback in communication, our page: Active Listening describes the process of listening attentively. Context All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. However, apart from looking at the situational context of where the interaction takes place, for example in a room, office, or perhaps outdoors, the social context also needs to be considered, for example the roles, responsibilities and relative status of the participants. The emotional climate and participants' expectations of the interaction will also affect the communication. Channel The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is transferred from one person to another. In face-to-face context the channels which are used are speech and vision, however during a telephone conversation the channel is limited to speech alone. Characteristics of interpersonal communication
- Interpersonal communication is a continuous process. Notice that the model in Figure 1.2 connects the communication partners with a double-headed arrow. This arrow reflects the continuous exchange of messages that occurs during interpersonal communication. Even when one partner is speaking, the other is communicating through body position, eye contact, and facial expressions. This arrow also represents the channel or the medium through which
another person. You have to use symbols to represent those ideas, and you have to rely on your partner to decipher those symbols. Inevitably, your partner will attach slightly different meanings to the symbols than you did. Sometimes, our different interpretations are noticeable, frustrating, or humorous Developing Your Interpersonal Skills Good interpersonal skills are often viewed as the foundation for good working and social relationships, and for developing many other areas of skill. For example, good leaders tend to have very good interpersonal skills, and develop other areas of their leadership skills by building on these. Without good interpersonal skills it is often more difficult to develop other important life skills. It is therefore worth spending time developing good interpersonal skills. Unlike specialised and technical skills (hard skills), interpersonal skills (soft skills) are used every day and in every area of our lives. Improving and developing your interpersonal skills is best done in steps, starting with the most basic, but vital: 1. Identify areas for improvement: The first step towards improving is to develop your knowledge of yourself and your weaknesses. You may already have a good idea of areas that you need to develop. However, it is worth seeking feedback from other people, because it is easy to develop ‘blind spots’ about yourself.
- Focus on your basic communication skills Communication is far more than the words that come out of your mouth. Some would even go so far as to suggest that there is a reason why you have two ears and one mouth, and that you should therefore listen twice as much as you talk! Listening is very definitely not the same as hearing. Perhaps one of the most important things you can do for anyone else is to take the time to listen carefully to what they are saying, considering both their verbal and non-verbal communication. Using techniques like questioning and reflection demonstrates that you are both listening and interested. When you are talking, be aware of the words you use. Could you be misunderstood or confuse the issue? Practise clarity and learn to seek feedback or clarification to ensure your message has been understood. By using questions effectively, you can both check others’ understanding, and also learn more from them. You may think that selecting your words is the most important part of getting a message across, but nonverbal communication actually plays a much bigger part than many of us are aware. Some experts suggest that around three-quarters of the ‘message’ is communicated by non-verbal signals such as body language, tone of voice, and the speed at which you speak. These non-verbal signals reinforce or contradict the message of our words and are much harder to fake than words. They are therefore a much more reliable signal and learning to read body language is a vital part of communication.
- Improve your more advanced communication skills Once you are confident in your basic listening and verbal and non-verbal communication, you can move onto more advanced areas around communication, such as becoming more effective in how you speak, and understanding why you may be having communication problems. Communication is rarely perfect and can fail for a number of reasons. Understanding more about the various barriers to
good communication means that you can be aware of—and reduce the likelihood of— ineffective interpersonal communication and misunderstandings. Problems with communication can arise for a number of reasons, such as:
- Physical barriers, for example, being unable to see or hear the speaker properly, or language difficulties;
- Emotional barriers, such as not wanting to hear what is being said, or engage with that topic; and
- Expectations and prejudices that affect what people see and hear. There are also circumstances in which communication is more difficult: for example, when you have to have an unpleasant conversation with someone, perhaps about their standard of work. These conversations may be either planned or unplanned. There tend to be two issues that make conversations more difficult: emotion, and change.
- Various emotions can get in the way of communicating, including anger and aggression, or stress. Few of us are able to communicate effectively when we are struggling to manage our emotions, and sometimes the best thing that can be done is to postpone the conversation until everyone is calmer.
- Difficult conversations are often about the need for change. Many of us find change hard to manage, especially if it is associated with an implied criticism of existing ways of working.
- Look inwards Interpersonal skills may be about how you relate to others, but they start with you. Many will be improved dramatically if you work on your personal skills. For example, people are much more likely to be drawn to you if you can maintain a positive attitude. A positive attitude also translates into improved self-confidence. You are also less likely to be able to communicate effectively if you are very stressed about something. It is therefore important to learn to recognise, manage and reduce stress in yourself and others. Being able to remain assertive, without becoming either passive or aggressive, is also key to effective communication. Perhaps the most important overarching skill is developing emotional intelligence. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand your own and others’ emotions, and their effect on behaviour and attitudes. It is therefore perhaps best considered as both personal and interpersonal in its nature, but there is no doubt that improving your emotional intelligence will help in all areas of interpersonal skills. Daniel Goleman, the author of a number of books on emotional intelligence, identified five key areas, three of which are personal, and two interpersonal.
- The personal skills, or ‘how we manage ourselves’, are self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation. In other words, the first steps towards understanding and managing the emotions
Reflect on your experience and improve The final, but by no means least important, element in developing and improving your skills is to develop the habit of self-reflection. Taking time to think about previous conversations and other interpersonal interactions will enable you to learn from your mistakes and successes and continue to develop. You might, for example, find it helpful to keep a diary or learning journal and write in it each week. Types of interpersonal skills Communication skills Conflict resolving skills Empathy Leadership Skills Listening skills Negotiation skills
Intrapersonal communication skills
Intrapersonal communication skills can be defined as communication with one’s self and that may include self-talk, act of imagination and visualization even recall and memory. Intra means “within”; thus, intrapersonal skills are skills an individual possesses, including characteristics such as personality, attitudes, self-concept, and integrity. Intrapersonal skills are also known as self- management abilities. we people communicating means interpersonal. This is in contrast to intrapersonal communication which is only done within one's own mind with one's own thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Intrapersonal skills are a type of soft skill that involves self-awareness. This includes an awareness of your goals, emotions and thoughts. Unlike interpersonal skills, which involve interacting with other people, intrapersonal skills focus solely on you and recognizing your innermost beliefs. Good intrapersonal skills typically mean you possess traits such as having a clear sense of self, understanding your motivations, recognizing desires and identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Intrapersonal skills typically involve controlling your inner thoughts, processes and attitudes. You don't learn these skills, they often develop through your own self-reflection. Intrapersonal skills are important because they often form the base of your relationships with other people and help you manage how you interact in your own relationships. These skills typically help you develop your emotional intelligence and how you communicate your wants and needs. Intrapersonal communication can help some people clarify their beliefs, values and attitudes. It can also help some work on their self-esteem and confidence. It is important to others to help them prepare for interpersonal
communication. There are elements to the communication process that are important to understand. Each interaction that we have will typically include a sender, receiver, message, channel, feedback, and noise Why are intrapersonal skills important? Intrapersonal skills are important because they often form the base of your relationships with other people and help you manage how you interact in your own relationships. These skills typically help you develop your emotional intelligence and how you communicate your wants and needs. They may improve your life and work because they often ensure that your inner processes support your actions. These skills also assist you with your leadership, collaboration, influence and introspection abilities. Just like learning other skills, developing intrapersonal skills often helps professionals develop similar competencies and skills. Intrapersonal skills also prove their vitality in the workplace because they help you set and achieve goals, stay motivated, focus your attention and use critical and purposeful thinking. For example, when you face a different outcome than you expected on a project, intrapersonal skills may assist you with forming a reasonable and thoughtful reaction. Companies often value intrapersonal skills just as much as interpersonal skills because they typically strengthen a team and contribute to a growth mindset. This may help team members stay adaptable and open to innovation. Here's a list of additional benefits of learning intrapersonal skills: They open your mind to new ways of thinking. They support healthy communication. They often expand relationships and professional opportunities. They often help you relate to others. They often demonstrate your social awareness. They contribute to effective leadership. How effective is intrapersonal communication? Intrapersonal communication is a highly effective internal dialogue that guides your beliefs, behaviors, and actions. It's a powerful tool for developing your authentic self, communicating with others, and boosting your happiness. What is the first step to improve intrapersonal skills? Improving and developing greater intrapersonal skills takes three primary components: self- awareness, self-regulation and motivation. Self-awareness uses personal assessment tools to monitor reactions. It requires the confidence to understand that this is the first step to growth.
might be better equipped to do it. This often ensures that the workplace continues thriving and that everyone produces their best work. Visualization When you visualize challenges and ideas from different perspectives, you often gain a better understanding of how to manage and follow through with decisions. This skill is useful for both personal and professional life. You may make more intelligent decisions by recognizing important information and how it may affect the situation. You may also recognize how it affects you personally and everyone else involved. Visualization may help you make plans and anticipate the next steps of your process. What is the role of emotion in interpersonal communication? Identifying the role of emotion in interpersonal communication. Emotion plays a large part in our ability to communicate effectively. The best communicators use emotion in a positive manner, evidencing passion, drive, energy, trust, and calmness When emotions are expressed appropriately, senders are able to formulate a message that reflects their internal status and intentions while considering audience needs and perceptions. The audience, too, benefits by receiving a clearer and more easily understood message. Emotions affect communication in many ways. John Mayer and Peter Salovey define emotional intelligence by extending these abilities to five main domains, such as (Salovey and Mayer, 1990): -awareness of personal emotions: the ability to permanently monitor (our) feelings constitutes the fundamental emotional skill that supports the building of all the other skills because not being able to recognize our true feelings makes us vulnerable and fall pray to them;
- emotions management: the ability to master our emotions, calm ourselves down, eliminate depression, irritability or other negative emotions represents one of the basic emotional qualities that are the object of emotional intelligence;
- self-motivation: emotional self-control, using emotions constructively bring about special performances in all domains, acting like an incentive in everyday life;
- identifying the emotions of others: empathy is the foundation for the ability to understand others, empathetic persons paying more attention to the feelings of others and being more capable of understanding and supporting them in any situation;
- handling relationships: the art of establishing interpersonal relationships, the positive interactions with others translates into a social and efficient competence in terms of the relationships with others Interpersonal intelligence involves verbal and non-verbal communication skills, relating and collaboration skills, conflict management skills, promoting team spirit, respecting others and being respected. On a complex level, this type of intelligence translates into the individual’s
ability to distinguish among the various interpersonal relationships and the ability to respond efficiently to the respective situations, as well as to guess and interpret the hidden reactions of others. According to the undertaken research, the elements of emotional intelligence are (Hatch and Gardner, 1993):
- organizing groups: an essential quality for an administrator or leader who initiates and coordinates the efforts of a network of people for their individual good and that of the team they are part of;
- negotiating solutions: it is the talent of the mediator that prevents and manages conflicts, negotiating solutions to defuse and annihilate them, eliminate tensions and disputes, potential hazards that may disturb the peace and endanger safety at a given moment;
- personal relationships: the ability to build and maintain interpersonal relationships with the help of empathetic communication;
- social analysis: the ability to sense or detect the feelings of others, to decode emotions and to knowingly act to the benefit of certain constructive and efficient relationships these interpersonal skills represent key elements contributing to the building of positive interaction also ensuring social cohesion. People who make a good impression in society are able to monitor their behavior and adjust it accordingly by constantly synchronizing it. What is Social Exchange Theory? The basic definition of social exchange theory is that people make decisions by consciously or unconsciously measuring the costs and rewards of a relationship or action, ultimately seeking to maximize their reward. A simple example of social exchange theory can be seen in the interaction of asking someone out on a date. If the person says yes, you have gained a reward and are likely to repeat the interaction by asking that person out again, or by asking someone else What are the four gateways of effective communication? Four building blocks create the foundation for successful communication: the people, the message, the context, and effective listening. The four elements are at play in every communication event, whether you're presenting in front of 1,000 people or making small talk with a coworker. What are the four 4 primary components for effective communication? Effective communication leads to understanding. The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. Define Interpersonal and Intra personal communication skills? Explain interpersonal and intrapersonal communication skills with five examples? Differentiate Interpersonal and Intra personal communication skills with examples?
