Interpersonal

Skill
 Introduction
Interpersonal skills are
the skills we use every
day when we
communicate and interact
with other people, both
individually and in groups.
They include a wide range
of skills, but particularly
communication skills such
as listening and effective
speaking. They also include
the ability to control and
manage your emotions.
People with strong
interpersonal skills tend to
be able to work well with
other people, including in
teams or groups, formally
and informally.
They communicate
effectively with others,
whether family, friends,
colleagues, customers or
clients. They also have
better relationships at
home and at work.
 What is
Interpersonal
skills?
 Interpersonal
Skills
Interpersonal skills are
sometimes referred to
as social skills, people
skills, soft skills, or life
skills.
 Interpersonal Skills
However, these terms can be used both more
narrowly and more broadly than ‘interpersonal
skills’. In this subject, we define interpersonal
skills as:
Interpersonal Skills
“The skills you
need, and use to
communicate and
interact with other
people.”
 This definition means that interpersonal skills therefore include:

1. Communication skills, which in turn covers:

 Verbal Communication – what we say and
how we say it;
 Non-Verbal Communication – what we
communicate without words, for example
through body language, or tone of voice; and
 Listening Skills – how we interpret both the
verbal and non-verbal messages sent by
others.
2. Emotional intelligence – being able
to understand and manage your own
and others’ emotions.

3. Team-working – being able to work

with others in groups and teams, both
formal and informal.
4. Negotiation
, persuasion and influencing skills – working
with others to find a mutually agreeable
(Win/Win) outcome. This may be considered a
subset of communication, but it is often
treated separately.

5. Conflict resolution and mediation – working

with others to resolve interpersonal conflict
and disagreements in a positive way, which
again may be considered a subset of
communication.
6. Problem solving and decision-making –
working with others to identify, define and
solve problems, which includes making
decisions about the best course of action.
The Importance of
Interpersonal
Skills
In the course of our lives, we have to
communicate with and interact with other
people on a daily if not hourly basis, and
sometimes more often. Good interpersonal
skills ‘oil the wheels’ of these interactions,
making them smoother and pleasanter for all
those involved. They allow us to build better
and longer-lasting relationships, both at home
and at work.
 Interpersonal skills at home
Good interpersonal skills help you to
communicate more effectively with family
and friends.
This is likely to be particularly important with
your partner. For example, being able to
give and receive feedback effectively with
your partner can help to resolve small
problems between you before they become
big issues.
 Interpersonal skills at work
At work, you are required to communicate
with and interact with a wide range of people,
from suppliers and customers through to
your immediate colleagues, colleagues
further afield, your team and your manager.
Your ability to do so effectively can make the
difference between a successful working life,
and one spent wondering what went wrong.
 Interpersonal skills for job seekers
• Naming and claiming in your resume a
specific skills.
• State clearly the skills that you possess
and explain how you demonstrate that skill
in practice
• Example: “ I have an excellent written
communication skills because my
colleagues used to seek my assistance in
checking their reports before submission”
 Interpersonal skills for job seekers
• Naming and claiming in your resume a
specific skills.
• State clearly the skills that you possess
and explain how you demonstrate that skill
in practice
• Example: “ I have an excellent written
communication skills because my
colleagues used to seek my assistance in
checking their reports before submission”
 Steps in improving
and developing your
Interpersonal Skills
 1. Identify areas for
improvement

The first step towards

improving is to develop
your knowledge of
yourself and your
weaknesses.
2. Focus on your basic
communication skills

Communication is far
more than the words
that come
out of your mouth.
 3. Improve your more
advanced communication
skills
Once you are confident in your basic
listening and verbal and non-verbal
communication, you can move on to
more advanced areas around
communication, such as becoming
more effective in how you speak,
and understanding why you may be
having communication problems.
 4. 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.
4. 5. Use and practice your
interpersonal skills in
particular situations
Consciously putti ng yourself
in those positions, and
practicing your skills, then
reflecting on the outcomes,
will help you to improve.
 6. Reflect on your
Experience and improve
Develop the habit of self-reflection.
Taking time to think about
conversations and interpersonal
interactions will enable you to
learn from your mistakes and
successes, and continue to
develop.