Interpersonal Communication
Dear Friends
It makes me happy to inform you that I had undergone a course on “Interpersonal skill” last week. Now, I really feel privileged to share my views with you on what I have learnt and understood. I am sure that having this knowledge on interpersonal skills will enable you to become an efficient communicator in all walks of life. Before discussing further, I would like to present the basic fundamentals of communication. So, let me first let you know what communication is.
It is an attribute of exchanging ideas, conveying information, and transmitting messages. This information can be transmitted digitally or non-digitally across the globe for a short or long distance between two or more human beings. According to Rose in the book “Communication Skills” by Rod Windle and Suzanne Warren (2008), all of us use language for effective communication to express ourselves, to get our ideas across, and get connected with the person to whom we speak. So, the ultimate purpose of communication lies in making the receiver understands the messages of the senders effectively and efficiently. This term is a derivation of the Latin word "communis" which means “share” or “exchange.”
After understanding the facts of communication, let me take this opportunity to tell you about the “Interpersonal Skill”
Generally, we tend to believe that it refers to just being close to someone personally to become an effective communicator. But it is not true. It is not the personal closeness but the closeness in communication through effective transmission of information. According to
Bellafiore (2011), having a conflict at work, with friends, within families between two people is a fact of life, and it should not be treated as something bad, but a source of building a healthy relationship with frequent conflict. During the interpersonal communication, there are instances when what we want to convey, is not being understood by listeners. It means that you are not able to express your thoughts or convey messages effectively. In professional parlance of interpersonal skill, you need to bear in mind that readers or listeners are never at fault if any communication fails. It is the accountability of the speakers or writers to modify or customize their information according to the needs of readers or listeners because they are the customers. So, communication is not just the transmission of words, phrases, sentences, and information but also sharing of thoughts, ideas, and feelings with the audience using various types of body languages.
Interpersonal communication is effective as it contains several parts and facets of life which can at first appear to be unclear but you can always choose what applies as best in your particular situation. This may mean that life cannot always be a bed of roses and as a newly engaged couple you will experience immediate problems if you are not open with yourselves from day one. Sometimes certain statements may appear to be unclear to the opposite parties initially but it is important always to be open and carry out what you feel is the best option for you. Discussions with your partner are especially important if some issues which may not be immediately clear crop up and this may always be the case if the stages of life are not discussed accordingly.
In a relationship, interpersonal communication is essential as without it, life can be extremely thorny and fraught with problems. It can also mean that everyday issues which may appear to be simple at first may vanish into oblivion and begin shouting matches without any hope of getting things done accordingly. Relationships will suffer if there is no trust in a relationship and this will also mean that life will become unbearable and will trudge along without much hope of solving problems and getting things done. So it is always extremely important to have your cards on the table and not engage in any sort of confrontation without the need for doing so which creates friction and untoward problems accordingly.
Barriers to interpersonal communication may include several. These may start from a lack of interest in interaction or a confrontational attitude which results in problems and other similar frictional issues.
Characters
Interpersonal skill does not refer to being close to someone personally to become an effective communicator. It is not the personal closeness but the closeness in communication. There are instances when what we want to convey is not being understood by others. It means that you are not able to express your thoughts or convey messages effectively. There is a need to remember in interpersonal skill that readers or listeners are never at fault if any communication fails. It is the accountability of the speaker or writer to modify or customize their information according to the needs of readers or listeners who are the customers. So, communication is not just the transmission of words, phrases, sentences, and information but also sharing of thoughts, ideas, and feelings with the audience using various types of body languages.
References
1. Rod Windle and Suzanne Warren (2008).Communication Skills. http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/section4.cfm. Resourceful Internet Solutions.
2. Varenne, H. (1977). Americans Together: Structured Di-versity in a Midwestern Town. New York and Lon-don: Teacher College Press.
3. Donna Bellafiore (2011). Interpersonal Conflict and Effective Communication. Retrieved from http://www.drbalternatives.com/articles/cc2.html
4. Sole, K. (2011).Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
