The way you talk to other people can have a lot of effects on your life. That’s the reason why Interpersonal Communication is one of the most essential skills a person should have. It can help you both at a personal and professional level.
Interpersonal communication is one of the most underrated skills. It can both build or ruin your personality in some ways. So, it’s important that you learn it.
The effective tips that we are going to share with you in today’s article can help you improve your Interpersonal Communication skills. Practicing these tips daily can be useful for improvement. So, let’s start
Tips for Interpersonal Communication Skills:
Some of the most effective tips for improving your Interpersonal communication skills are listed below:
Tip 1 – Reflect on your current communication level:
You need to be aware of your existing communication ability level before you go on a road of self-improvement. As was previously established, our perception of what and how we say often differs from reality.
We should not assume that just because we think we can communicate clearly, the other person does too.
So, you first need to know whether or not you can speak well. So, here’s how you can practice this tip:
- Record yourself (preferably video recording) speaking daily and see what and how you speak.
- Not down your good and bad points while watching the video.
- If possible, try to record yourself while speaking with another person. It will help you understand how you interact and approach another person about a particular topic.
Tip 2 – Listen Attentively:
Malcolm Forbes says that the art of conversation lies in listening. He was not incorrect in what he said.
That is because most of the time, while building a conversation, people think about what they should and should not speak about.
They ignore an important part, or half of the part, of conversation while doing so which is listening.
Unless you don’t listen attentively to another person, how can you respond accordingly? This tip is even more useful for people who handle clients all the time. Well, there are a few things that you can do in order to practice this tip. Here are their details:
- Try to build a conversation at a place that has very few things that can distract you.
- Instead of focusing on the words, try to analyze the emotion of the speaker. If you catch that emotion, your response will resonate with them.
- Never interrupt the sayer unless you absolutely have to.
- You can ask questions to clarify something you didn’t understand. The other person will appreciate that you were trying to understand them.
Tip 3 – Use Intonations Wisely:
Developing your conversational intonation skills is one of the finest ways to enhance your interpersonal communication abilities. Intonations are the fluctuations in your tone while speaking.
In simple words, don’t speak with a low or a high tone constantly. That is because some points of a conversation need to be said in a lower tone and some in a higher tone. The same case applies to the speed of your speaking.
Once you understand these intonations, you will not only be able to communicate your idea but also deliver it with maximum impact on another person.
In order to apply this tip in your conversations, you can practice it in the following ways:
- Pick a person who you think has good communication skills and analyze how they use their tone.
- Understand the important points of the thing you have to talk about. Speak to them loudly and slowly. Everything that is just supportive can be said in a low and fast tone to save the time of the listener.
- Try to use this naturally. Otherwise, it will lose its impact.
Tip 4 – Don’t Ignore the Importance of the Body Gestures:
Last but not least, learning to use body gestures the right way in a conversation will help you deliver your ideas impactfully. These body gestures not only radiate confidence but also make the listener uncomfortable.
For instance, if you remain seated in the same posture the entire time, the speaker will think that you are not engaged in the discussion. However, it will convey your real interest in them if, for example, you slightly lean toward them when you think they are going to say something significant.
In the same way, use the movements of your hands while speaking (especially while explaining something). This is because it shows confidence, and the other person will listen to you attentively.
Some things you can do to practice this tip are:
- Don’t dose off mentally during the conversation. This can make you unaware of your body position.
- Try not to sit too close to another person unless you have to.
- Move your hands with a variation in speed to make it look natural.
Summary Lines
Learning Interpersonal communication skills can help you in several ways. You can utilize some tips to get better at it, just like you can with any other ability.
We have provided comprehensive details of these tips in the information given above. Make sure to read them out fully. To help you apply these tips in your improvement journey, we have discussed some practicing points that you can try out. Practicing these points can help you apply the tip in a better way.
FAQs:
Does non-verbal communication also include in interpersonal communication?
Yes. Non-verbal communication, such as text messages, can also be considered interpersonal communication.
Can I sign up for any course that can help me learn this communication?
Yes. There are several courses available out there that can help you with learning this communication.
What’s the easiest way to practice interpersonal communication?
The easiest way to practice interpersonal communication is by talking to different people every day. This can help you improve your skills.
Can adding critical points in conversation help communicate with others?
Yes. This can be helpful. However, make sure that these points are positive.
