Interpersonal skills help you interact with people effectively. They are also commonly known as life skills and help you in socializing. With the help of these interpersonal skills, you can present yourself in a more efficient manner, whether it is in the professional world or your personal life. There are various characteristics that are included in these skills and they are –

• Teamwork
• Effective communication
• Active listening
• Patience
• Responsibility
• Dependability
• Accountability
• Empathy
• Respectfulness
• Flexibility
• Motivation
• Leadership

If your interpersonal skills are strong, you’ll be able to put forward your thoughts in a clear way and you’ll also be able to understand the other person’s point of view without bias and prejudice.

What are interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal skills are behaviors and ways a person uses to interact with others. In the corporate world, these skills mean the employee’s ability to work cordially with other people. These skills incorporate a lot of factors like communication skills, relationship building, conflict management, effective listening, and positive attitude etc.

While some people are born with the talent of good interpersonal skills, others must work hard to polish these skills. When you express appreciation, resolve disputes in a calm manner, and listen well, it is all included in interpersonal skills.

Understanding the importance of interpersonal skills

It is true that you cannot learn interpersonal skills from theoretical knowledge. You need to practice them in real world situations, and only then you will learn from your experience. Organizations value employees with strong interpersonal skills for their demeanor and positive attitude. These employees are usually seen as team players who can work well in teams to achieve organizational goals.

Interpersonal skills are directly linked to social experience and customs. The more you meet people and understand them, the better your interpersonal skills will be. People with good interpersonal skills adjust their way of communication and presenting themselves as per the audience.

Importance of interpersonal skills at workplace

If you’re looking for a new job or want to switch to a higher position, make sure your interpersonal skills and communication skills are super strong. Companies lookout for candidates who have a strong hold on these skills.

In the professional world you need to have control on your emotions which is emotional intelligence, you need to be solution oriented, an active listener, kind and respectful, and you should be flexible. Some other characteristics are – negotiation skills, public speaking, team building, collaboration, and conflict management. All these are characteristics of good interpersonal skills.

It is difficult to imagine a company being successful and growing if the employees don’t have strong skills. You need to understand that there is a difference between a smart professional and a successful professional. A smart professional is someone who has the knowledge of his field. But a successful professional is someone who balances knowledge with his interpersonal skills to succeed at work.

Improving your interpersonal skills

Just like any other skill, these cannot be achieved overnight. You need to keep practicing, and only then will you be able to polish your interpersonal skills.

Here are 10 ways in which you can improve your interpersonal skills.

1. Work on your verbal and non-verbal communication
2. Have a positive and problem-solving attitude
3. Be respectful and empathetic towards others
4. Work on teamwork and collaboration
5. Be a patient listener
6. Practice emotional intelligence
7. Start taking responsibilities
8. Be accountable
9. Be firm and assertive but not rude
10. Foster strong relationships

When you work constantly on all these skills, you’ll be more likeable, and people will start appreciating your efforts. You can also take up various interpersonal skills development courses.