

Interpersonal
communication is an
exchange of information
between two or more
people.
During interpersonal
communication there is
message sending and
message receiving.
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
The Quality Of Our Interpersonal
Communication Will Determine The Quality
Of Our Work And Quality Of Our Life

Interpersonal Communication Skills Can Be
Learned
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Conversation
Listening
Body language
Emotional
Awareness
Personal
Appearance
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Keys to Effective Conversation:

Avoiding Unnecessary Detail
 Don’t show off with technical knowledge, be considerate of the other person. Don’t bother them with
detail they do not understand and don’t care for.

Communication is a 50 – 50 process
 Try not to dominate a conversation; give the other person a chance to speak.

Smile
 This helps put the other person at ease; smiling also gives us self-confidence and helps put us in the
right frame of mind.

Avoiding Controversial Topics


Criticize by asking questions


There is nothing more frustrating than having to keep repeating yourself.
Do Not Insist on Having the Last Word


Merely ask questions, which sow seeds of doubt in the mind of the other person.
Speak Clearly and Slowly


Look for topics of shared interest.
A good conversation is not about proving that you are always right; if you insist on having the last word to every
argument then it will make the conversation go on far too long.
Pay Attention to Signals
 If we remain aloof from the body language of other people, we just get wrapped up in our own agenda
and annoy other people.
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
Be confident, cool, and relaxed

Be yourself – do not belittle
yourself but at the same time
do not be arrogant – must
show respect to all parties

Be assertive – do not let other
people step on your head

Give your opinion if you don’t
agree – with full diplomacy and
respect
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
Make eye contact and give attention


Concentrate – do not let your mind wonder to other places.


Wait until he or she finishes his or her sentences.
Do not be too fast to conclude.


using phrases such as ‘that’s amazing idea, that’s interesting story, please tell me
more’
Do not interrupt or try to finish sentences while someone is
talking to you.


Listen to ideas, not just words.
Give encouragement for people to keep on talking or to tell you
more


by saying ‘yeah’ ‘oh like that’, nodding your head and continue eye contact.
Ensure that you understand what they said by repeating it back to
them


Do not look at other places or do other things while listening to people talking to
you
Show that you are actually listening to them with full interest


But do not do it too close or too long
Give your response when you are truly sure he’s finished his points.
Do not focus on what you are going to say.

Your main focus should be on what the other person is saying
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
Proper body language
 Smile
 Stand/sit-up; facing the other person/people
 Nod your head to show that you understand or agree or that you are following the
conversation attentively.

Give space so that everyone can see each other’s face if you are talking in a
group.

Mirroring
 Mirror the same body posture with those you are talking to – if they are standing
with there arms crossed, you do the same, if they are holding a cup, you do the
same.
 “Mirroring” will create a more friendly and relaxed atmosphere between you and the
other person.

Avoid :




Yawning,
Scratching your head,
Fidgeting,
Digging in your ears, nose, and other sorts of inappropriate actions
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
the consciousness of your moment-to-moment
emotional experience

and the ability to manage all of your feelings
appropriately
Emotional awareness provides you
the tools needed for understanding
both yourself and other people, and
the real messages they are
communicating to you.
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
Emotional awareness helps you:
Understand and empathize with what is really troubling
other people
 Understand yourself, including what’s really troubling you
and what you really want
 Stay motivated to understand and empathize with the person
you’re interacting with, even if you don’t like them or their
message
 Communicate clearly and effectively, even when delivering
negative messages
 Build strong, trusting, and rewarding relationships, think
creatively, solve problems, and resolve conflicts

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Emotional awareness is a skill you can learn
 You can develop emotional awareness by learning
how to get in touch with difficult emotions and
manage uncomfortable feelings


anger, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise, and joy.
When you know how to do this, you can remain in
control of your emotions and behavior, even in very
challenging situations

this will help you communicate more clearly and effectively.
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

Personal appearance is an
often disregarded part of
communication and
presentation skills.
When you are speaking you are
representing your organization and
yourself,
but it is still you on the front line.
 It is you that the other person, group,
or audience sees
 and before you have time to open
your mouth and give an account of
yourself, certain assumptions, both
consciously and subconsciously, have
been made.

First impressions are very
important

they can be about attitude as
well as dress.


Visual impact is at least as
important as verbal impact

people will very quickly make
assumptions based on your
facial expressions, the clothes
you wear, and how well
groomed you are.
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


There are many reasons
why interpersonal
communications may fail.
In many communications,
the message (what is said)
may not be received exactly
the way the sender
intended.
It is important that the
communicator seeks
feedback to check that
their message is clearly
understood.
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Common Barriers to Effective Communication:

The use of jargon.


Emotional barriers and taboos.






Not being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make
communication less effective.
Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping.


Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics may be completely 'offlimits' or taboo.
Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.
Differences in perception and viewpoint.
Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
Physical barriers to non-verbal communication.


Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.
People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect
conclusions.
Cultural differences.

The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which emotions
are expressed.
 For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different social
settings.
A skilled communicator must be aware of these barriers and try
to reduce their impact by continually checking understanding
and by offering appropriate feedback
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
The components of interpersonal communication
govern the effectiveness of our communications

they may be simple to understand but can take a lifetime to
master.

No form of communication is simple, there are many
reasons why communication is taking place, how it is
taking place and how messages are being broadcast and
received.

Variables in communication, such as language,
environment and distraction as well as the individuals
involved in communicating all have an effect on how
messages are sent, received and interpreted.

At any point in communication any misunderstanding,
regardless of how small it may seem, will have an effect
on the message that is being received.

Through self-awareness and good intrapersonal
communication we can strengthen the effectiveness of
our interpersonal communication
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1. Mastering the two basic
types of communication
is the key to successful
socialization.
2. The ability to
communicate ideas,
thoughts and feelings
serves as the basis for all
successful human
interaction.
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