What is Interpersonal Communication? Skills, Types, and Examples

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Communication is essential for exchanging information, ideas, opinions, feelings, and emotions. Interpersonal communication is very important for the need for belonging and connection between people. In interpersonal communication, information, opinions, ideas, views, etc. are exchanged between individuals or groups. Also, it is essential for strengthening bonds and relationships with one another.

Interpersonal Communication

‘Inter’ refers to between two individuals, groups, or entities. ‘Inter-personal’ means between two persons or a group of persons.

Interpersonal communication refers to the exchange of information, meaning, ideas, opinions, and feelings between two or more people.  Communication can be verbal or nonverbal. Interpersonal communication can be either face-to-face communication or through messages or calls. In face-to-face communication, people can see and hear each other, and feel the body language, gestures, and facial expressions which helps in conveying the message more clearly rather than mere speaking.

Interpersonal communication can take place through emails, SMS, online messaging, and phone calls. These types of communication methods have emerged with the advancement in technology.

Intrapersonal Communication

‘Intra’ refers to within oneself or within a group. Intra-personal communication refers to the communication within ourselves. It is how we convey our ideas, opinions, etc.. to our minds. Thus, It is referred to as self-to-self communication or intrapersonal communication.

Example: Self- Reflection where one can gain more insight about oneself through self-introspection and examination.

In short, People used to self-introspect about themselves. It involves thinking and taking to their mind, also a conflict between mind and heart.

Difference between Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Communication

In brief, let us have a look at the main difference between interpersonal and intrapersonal communication.

Interpersonal communication refers to the communication between two or more people or groups. It can be phone calls, messages, emails, face-to-face, etc.

Intrapersonal communication is communication with oneself. It can be self-assessment, self-reflection, etc.

In short, we can say that interpersonal communication is between people or groups. In contrast to this, intra-personal communication is communicating within oneself.

Importance of Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication skills are very crucial in both personal and professional life for building and maintaining relationships. Also, it is a very important ‘soft skill’ for most jobs. Interpersonal communication enables smooth conduct of work and also enables strengthening relationships. Thus, interpersonal communication is inevitable in day-to-day life.

 Let us have a look at some of the importance of interpersonal communication.

Conflict resolution 

Conflicts are an inevitable part of professional as well as personal life. But proper communication with one another and resolving misunderstandings enables one to resolve the conflict and thereby maintain a cordial relationship. 

Example: If there is a conflict or misunderstanding between the team members in an organization, with the help of proper communication and interaction the conflict can be resolved. So, open communication enables easy conflict resolution.

Build and maintain relationships

Human beings are social beings and they interact with each other. Moreover, communication is a fundamental element for being social and maintaining relationships. Also, it builds trust which is fundamental for building a relationship. Building and maintaining good relations is very crucial in personal and professional life.

Problem-solving

Interpersonal communication allows people to discuss problems and assess their pros and cons and come to a final conclusion. Hence, with proper communication people can form groups and talk about the problem and brainstorm ideas for finding its solution.

Example: In a brainstorming session, each individual shares their views, opinions, and ideas for solving the problem. Therefore, each individual is respected and they get chances to share their view, this enables the decision-makers to select the best alternative solution.

Emotional Intelligence

Interpersonal communication is the best way to express our emotions and feelings to others. It enables a person to open up transparently and express their feelings to one another. Hence, speaking up creates a sense of empathy and sympathy among people.

Improves Efficiency

A proper communication flow in the organization increases transparency and helps in improving organizational performance. Positive and effective communication empowers employees and makes them motivated, hence, productivity will be increased and this contributes to the overall well-being of the organization.

Interpersonal Communication Skills

Interpersonal communication skills refer to those skills which enable an individual to interact with others effectively. Some of the interpersonal communication skills are mentioned below:

• Develop Active Listening
• Empathy
• Openness
• Emotional Intelligence
• Good negotiation skills
• Critical and creative thinking
• Teamwork and coordination
• Being Responsible
• Continuous practice
• Positive Attitude
• Clear language
• Providing Feedback
• Build a positive rapport

Undoubtedly interpersonal communication skills are highlighted as a mandatory requirement for most corporate jobs. Along with these skills, the candidates must be proficient in the language, and its usage which enables easy communication. Therefore, the candidates must inculcate and practice interpersonal communication skills to get their names shortlisted for the particular job.

Examples of Interpersonal Communication

Following are some examples of  Interpersonal communication are:

• Text Messages
• Emails
• Presentations
• Public Speeches
• Phone calls

Principles of Interpersonal Communication

Poor communication is a major factor that leads to the deterioration of a relationship, hence it is a critical component and has to be given proper attention. Communication is a key factor that contributes to the success of both personal and professional life. These principles enable one to understand fundamental communication skills.

The following are the 4 principles of communication.

1. Communication is Inevitable

Interpersonal communication cannot be avoided even if a person remains silent, there might be some message to be conveyed. Communication is not only about voice or gestures but the thoughts in an individual’s mind concerning a particular person or situation.

2. Communication is Irreversible 

The message once conveyed cannot be reversed or taken back. If an individual bad mouths a person, he can apologize for the words but can never take back the words once spoken.

3. Communication is complex

Without a doubt, we can say that communication is never a simple process. It is complex mainly because of people’s perception of a message and the way of interpretation. Once a message is conveyed to a group of people, it will be understood and interpreted in different forms.

4. Communication is Contextual

Messages should be conveyed effectively while interacting with different cultures, age groups, etc. Certain adjustments and clarifications must be made while conveying the message to different groups.

Types of Interpersonal Communication

There are mainly 4 different types of Interpersonal communication, they are:

1. Non- Verbal Communication

This type of interpersonal communication includes body language, gestures, clothing, appearance, attitude, eye contact, voice tones, hand gestures, and facial expressions. Although, speaking up is the basic form of communication, sometimes body language and gestures speak more than words.

2. Listening

Active listening is also a type of interpersonal communication. It means a proper understanding of the content of the message conveyed. Mere speaking is not enough for communication, instead, there must be active listening too.

3. Written Communication

In addition, written type of communication is mainly used in workplaces for conveying messages to others rather than merely speaking. It includes all the written forms like emails, texts, emojis, GIFs, etc.

4. Oral Communication

Basically, verbal or oral communication refers to speaking up. It is the most common type of interpersonal communication. It includes all the words we use, language, and how we emphasize something and persuade others. Undoubtedly, oral communication is the basic and most used form of communication.

Eg: Phone calls, Public speaking, Face-to-Face communication, etc.

About Project Management

Project managers are responsible for the planning, implementation, and execution of a project. They are responsible for each and every aspect of a Project rather than mere planning.

A project manager should possess excellent communication skills so as to lead, motivate, and persuade his team. The Project Management domain is gaining more importance in recent times because of increased competition and advancement in technology. In recent times, project management has become a separate department in an organization and is gaining more importance. Thus, project managers have a wider scope and more job opportunities.

Henry Harvin Project Management Course

Henry Harvin provides a 9 1 PMP Project Management Course. It is 36 hours of interactive training which aims at creating new skills as well as developing existing skills. Importantly, the course is certified, valid, and globally acceptable. The PMP training also provides internship and placement opportunities.PMP is a complete professional training course that opens up a lot of opportunities for students. 

Henry Harvin has internationally trained and certified trainers with 10+ years of industry experience. Certainly, the trainers teach the students in a unique way and make them capable of taking up challenging projects in the industry. Even though the teaching method is online, the trainers still focus on practically developing and improving the communication skills of project managers, which is a very important skill.

In short, Henry Harvin’s project management course helps to improve the communication skills of project managers. The project management domain opens up immense career growth opportunities.

Conclusion

As social beings, people interact with each other and communication is an integral part of daily life. i. So, interpersonal communication is very important in personal relations and in professional work. Also, having a conversation between people is essential to expressing ideas, opinions, feelings, and emotions.

So, Interpersonal communication skills are inevitable in professional life and people need to develop certain skills like openness, empathy, emotional control, etc.. to convey messages effectively. Also, excellent communication skills enable to prevent misinterpretations, conflicts, and misunderstandings. Effective communication requires active listening and clear speech. Therefore, candidates must focus on developing their language and communication skills to ensure harmony in the workplace.

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• Top Project Management Interview Questions and Answers
• Top 15 Agile Project Management Certification in Dubai: 2023 [Updated]
• 7 Reasons to Choose Project Management as a Career Path in 2023 [Updated]

FAQs

Q.1. What is interpersonal communication?

Ans. Interpersonal communication refers to the exchange of ideas, opinions, views, and information from one person to another or a group.

Q.2. What are the steps involved in interpersonal communication?

Ans. The various steps in communication are encoding, medium of transmission of message, interpretation or decoding, and feedback. A factor involved in communication is noise.

Q. 3. What are the principles of interpersonal communication?

Ans. Communication is Inevitable, Irreversible, Complex, and Contextual.

Q.4. What are the various types of interpersonal communication?

Ans. E-mails, Text messages, SMS, phone calls, face-to-face communication, etc…

Q.5. What do you mean by PMP certification? Does PMP certification help in fetching good career opportunities?

Ans. It is a Project Management Professional certification that enables managers to improve their skills and have a better approach toward a project. Yes, The certification helps in getting a good job with an attractive salary package.

Q.6. Is Henry Harvin’s PMP course certified? Does it provide internship opportunities?

Ans. Yes, Henry Harvin’s PMP course is valid and certified. The course provides live projects and attractive internship opportunities.

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