Interpersonal skills are a vital aspect of most businesses. Also known as communication skills, honing these skills help you get the job done and support your career. In this article, we will unpack everything there is to know about interpersonal skills and talk about how you can improve them in 10 easy steps. 

What are interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal skills at a workplace refer to your ability to communicate and interact with your peers, colleagues, bosses, and stakeholders. Interpersonal skills can be efficiently used to convey the right message and ensure positive outcomes such as creating a more enjoyable workspace and even an increase in sales and revenue. 

Why is it important to develop interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal skills are essential for effective communication at the workplace as well as in your personal life. When you equip yourself with strong interpersonal skills it can help you build good relationships with others. You will be able to understand your team well. 

How to improve your interpersonal skills (top 10 ways to develop interpersonal skills)

Now that you know why you need interpersonal skills, let’s take a look at 10 easy steps on how you can develop them. Read on. 

1. Pen down your goals 

The first step towards successfully developing your interpersonal skills is to set meaningful goals. Here, figure out your strengths and weaknesses and understand which elements you need to focus on. For instance, let’s say you are someone who has trouble initiating a conversation. So, make sure you focus on that. You can read books on the same or initiate a Google search to help you understand how you can strike up a conversation with someone new and practice it with a friend or your partner to get better in that particular aspect. 

2. Be observant 

Always take note of people successfully interacting with each other. Notice all the elements that make the conversation positive and successful. For instance, let’s say the main stakeholder of the company is addressing a team. You notice all team members being attentive and listening to every word without any distractions. So, try to understand what he is doing differently. Notice the knick-knacks of the conversation that connect with the audience. 

3. Practice often 

Once you have made all the notes, it’s now time to practice to develop your skills. So, you can either find a mentor, ask your friend or your partner for help or even learn to practice in front of a mirror. If you think you need professional help, you can always join a professional course that focuses on developing interpersonal skills to help you out. There is a plethora of online courses you can try.

4. Keep a positive outlook 

When it comes to developing interpersonal skills, it takes time. But until then, don’t lose hope. Try to use whatever you learn every day in your workspace and have a positive outlook. Even if something is stressing you out, learn to look at the positive side of things. 

5. Practice Empathy 

Have a well-rounded view of things by developing empathy. Put yourself in others’ shoes and understand their point of view. For instance, if someone on your team is late due to a personal issue and it’s the first time it has ever happened, try to be empathetic instead of reprimanding them. This will ensure the atmosphere remains positive. 

6. Learn to take feedback 

If you have a mentor or maybe you have enrolled in an interpersonal skills class, learn to take feedback frequently so you can improve yourself. If you think you are lacking somewhere, ask questions and make note of solutions that can help you out. Make sure it is an interactive session. 

7. Choose your language carefully 

You must always be mindful of the language you choose to interact with others. For instance, when you communicate with your superiors, you choose a more formal tone but when you communicate with your friends, you may make use of slang and have an informal tone. So, you must always consider all these factors carefully. 

8. Show interest in colleagues 

It is important to build positive relationships with your colleagues as you work with them day in and day out. So, it’s always best to get to know a little bit about their personal lives and their likes and dislikes. 

9. Be self-aware 

Being self-aware means understanding your emotions, strengths, and limitations. You can always keep a diary to make notes or to jot down any feedback and move ahead from there. 

10. Avoid interrupting 

One of the mistakes we end up making is interrupting when someone else is speaking. This is a very bad habit and shows disrespect. A very small trick you can follow when developing interpersonal skills is to always listen when someone is speaking and not interrupt.

These are some of the easy tips to improve your interpersonal skills. However, if you think you need a professional course to help you out, you can explore our courses here.