Interpersonal communication is the process of sending and receiving messages with another person. This process sounds and appears to be easy; however, communication involves a very complex set of skills, as complex as those necessary for driving a car or reading a map. The complexity is that messages can be communicated and received in various ways, e.g., by listening, speaking, signing, touching, and making eye contact.
Key Features
- Active listening helps individuals determine how effectively they listen when communicating.
- Nonverbal communication helps individuals examine how their body language is affecting their interpersonal communications.
- Communication skills helps individuals measure how effective they are at using communication skills to initiate, build, and maintain interpersonal relationships.
- Social Radar helps individuals explore how attuned they are to verbal and nonverbal cues.
- Negotiation skills helps individuals explore how well they negotiate to get what they want without manipulating or alienating other people.
Additional Information
People need adequate communication skills to survive and thrive in our challenging society. Effective communication skills are critical in many walks of life, including:
- Developing and maintaining friendships
- Participating in the community
- Being effective in educational settings
- Parenting successfully
- Finding a job
- Succeeding in the workplace
- Maintaining intimate relationships
Sections begin with a self-assessment that is easy to administer, score, and interpret. Follow-up activities, journaling, communication skills worksheets, and educational handouts—all reproducible—help individuals discover their habitual, ineffective methods of communicating with others and explore new ways to enhance interpersonal communications.
