Interpersonal Communication: Definition, Examples, & Skills

By Zamfira Parincu, BA, Researcher
​Reviewed by Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.
What is interpersonal communication? Find out more about this skill and why it’s important for your professional and personal relationships.
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The need for connection and belonging is a fundamental human need, not only as young children but also as adults (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). We want others to like us, and we feel good when we are heard or when others help us problem-solve. Interestingly, we even mimic others in words and gestures, showing them how similar we are (Van Baaren et al., 2004). And that makes sense: we evolved as social beings who need to connect with others to strategize and survive.
When we communicate interpersonally with others, we not only share ideas or solve problems; we also connect and strengthen our bond. We usually do so through interpersonal communication skills, an important set of skills that impacts our personal life and work. In this article, we will talk about what interpersonal communication is, how to strengthen it, and how to use it to improve your personal and professional life.

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What Is Interpersonal Communication? (A Definition)

Simply said, interpersonal communication is how two people communicate. It can mean sharing information and expressing thoughts or emotions, either face-to-face or through a medium, such as a phone, email, or social media. Interpersonal communication refers to verbal and non-verbal communication, including body language, facial expressions, and tone.

When you take the time to ask your friend about weekend plans, or your colleague invites you to dinner, or you exchange text messages with a friend—all these are examples of interpersonal communication. This type of interpersonal communication is essential to connecting and building connections.

Interpersonal communication has an essential role in enhancing the quality of relationships and strengthening the bond between people (Sethi & Seth, 2009), as it can help you understand others, not simply what they say, but also how they see the world. 

What Are Interpersonal Communication Skills?

Interpersonal communication skills are behaviors that help you interact with others effectively, in the workplace, school, or in the larger world. Some examples of interpersonal communication skills include active listening, openness, and empathy. What makes interpersonal communication skills a great asset to have is that they are transferable skills.

For instance, active listening and openness are great skills to have if your kids tell you about their problems but they’re also extremely helpful if you need to mediate a conflict at work. Although these situations require different behavior from you, you can utilize your interpersonal communication skills to help you make the best of any situation.

However, not all interpersonal communication skills come to us as easily as we might like. Sometimes, it might be easier for you to use a skill in a situation where you’re more comfortable while it might be harder to use a skill in a less comfortable situation. For example, it might be easier for you to practice active listening at work when talking to your colleague or supervisor, but when it comes to practicing this skill with your partner, you might struggle with it.

​Or, you might struggle because of other factors, such as tiredness, the moment of the day, or being distracted. It’s important to keep in mind that you can learn any interpersonal communication skills you might want to improve—for example, you can learn how to practice active listening or how to be more open. In a bit, we will share some tips on how to build interpersonal communication skills and how to strengthen those you already possess.

Examples of Interpersonal Communication

Here are some examples of interpersonal communication skills:

Interpersonal Communication in the Future World

With the online world constantly growing, it created new and interesting avenues to communicate interpersonally and connect with others. There are numerous benefits to this new type of interpersonal communication, but it also raises puzzling questions: Does online communication benefit our mental and physical health? How are we feeling about this increase in online communication? 
​
If these questions sparked your interest, you can explore a new perspective on interpersonal communication in the future world and watch a TEDx video about this below:

Video: Interpersonal Communication in the Future World

Why Interpersonal Communication Is Important

We make sense of the world and connect with others by exchanging messages, usually by talking or texting. Strong interpersonal communication can help you strengthen the bond you have with others and be a trusted and dependable friend. In your professional life, these skills can help you climb the corporate ladder, have more opportunities, and reach your personal goals.

Here are some examples of why interpersonal communication is an important part of your life:
  • Teamwork. The old saying “Teamwork makes the dream work” is still valid nowadays. A crucial skill at any job, the ability to be a team player requires you to have excellent communication and people skills. No matter what environment requires you to be a true team player, mastering interpersonal communication skills will benefit you greatly.
  • Conflict resolution. Whether you need to stop a fight between brothers or a silent conflict between coworkers, difficult situations need conflict resolution strategies. Interpersonal communication can help you figure out how to move forward because you might listen to both sides and work with them, not against them. 
  • Problem-solving. Problem-solving is an important skill that can help you identify and explore opportunities essential to your daily life, home, school, or work. Interpersonal communication can help you identify the problem and figure out a solution that works for you or your goal.
  • Active listening. When you’re actively listening to someone, you give them your full and undivided attention. You pay attention to what they say, their body language, or other cues, and overall are engaged in the conversation. Active listening is essential for communicating effectively and preventing misunderstandings at work, in your personal relationships, at school, and even with children.
  • Connection. Social connection is an important part of being human. When you’re not connected to others, it can negatively affect your mental and physical health: it can increase the chances of death by at least 50% (Yang et al., 2016), as well as obesity, heart disease, and smoking (Alcaraz et al., 2018), depression, insomnia, and cognitive decline (Alcaraz et al., 2018). Connecting with others can improve your health and well-being, and building a support system can help you feel better in times of stress.

Types of Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication can be divided into four categories:
  • Oral communication. Oral communication refers to spoken communication such as phone calls, public speaking, or having small talk face-to-face.
  • Written communication. This type includes letters, emails, texts, messages, but also emojis and GIFs.
  • Nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication encompasses body language, tone, hand gestures, eye contact, clothing, or smell.
  • Listening. Listening is a part of interpersonal communication as it refers not only to simply hearing what someone else is saying but actively understanding the meaning of their message. In other words, it represents listening to understand, not to answer.

Interpersonal communication can also be subdivided into three categories:
  • Dyadic communication. Dyadic communication is a method of communication between two people, in any form: a phone call, a written letter, or a text message. 
  • Small-group communication. This type of communication refers to three or more people that communicate between themselves.
  • Public speaking. Public speaking is the act of communicating to an audience.

Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace

It’s probably very difficult nowadays to find many jobs that don’t involve being part of a team and interacting with others—customers, coworkers, or bosses. Most jobs require multiple types of life skills and interpersonal communication, although some jobs rely more on them than others. However, having poor interpersonal skills can be a detriment for the company and for coworkers, as people want to work with others who can improve their workday (Tarver, 2021)

Hiring managers typically look for people with strong interpersonal communication skills who are effective communicators and team workers. In one study, employers ranked communication skills as the most important skill they look for when hiring someone. Among the five-top rated skills, four fell within the interpersonal communication category: oral communication, listening skills, written communication, and presentation skills (GMAC, 2017). 

Companies and organizations are run by people so without interaction and communication, their existence would be extremely challenging (Sethi & Seth, 2009). Effective interpersonal communication in the workplace is essential for a well-functioning and high-performing team. Here are some reasons why interpersonal communication skills are important in the workplace:
  • They can open up new opportunities. Having great communication skills means that you can easily communicate with coworkers, which can help you expand work opportunities and grow. According to hiring managers, strong interpersonal skills are the most valuable skill companies are looking for (GMAC, 2017). 
  • They can make you an effective leader. Whether you are the leader in a class project, in a small team at work, or the company’s leader, to be a successful leader, you need to be able to communicate with everyone. When you effectively communicate with everyone on the team, you can strengthen your connection and create a trusting environment, which will only make the team more resilient and successful.
  • They can help you express more gratitude. Research shows that saying and hearing thanks positively impact your well-being and work performance. For example, managers who say “Thank you” to those who work for them see these employees as more motivated to work harder (Emmons & Crumpler, 2011), and the employees can put in even 50% more work than usual after the managers expressed gratitude (Grant & Gino, 2010).

How to Build Interpersonal Communication Skills

Considering how essential interpersonal communication skills are for your personal and professional life, it’s important to start strengthening them. Here are some tips on how to build strong interpersonal communication skills:
  • Figure out your goal. To build strong interpersonal communication skills, first, you need to know what areas you need to improve. Ask yourself whether you might practice more active listening because the phone distracts you, or reflect on whether you need to work on your teamwork skills. You can further identify the areas that need strengthening by asking for feedback from colleagues, friends, or family.
  • Practice active listening. When you’re communicating with someone, try not to focus on your phone, interrupt the other person, or constantly look away. When you practice active listening, you can build strong and healthy relationships because everyone needs and wants to be heard and understood. Listen to understand, not to answer and you can strengthen your professional and romantic relationships.
  • Learn emotion regulation. Although emotions are an important part of your life, if they start to get out of control, they can have a negative impact on your communication. Perhaps this is partially why emotion regulation skills are linked to overall well-being, income, and socioeconomic status (Cote, Gyurak & Levenson, 2010). You can learn how to control your emotions by practicing mindfulness and radical acceptance, exercising, or talking to a mental health professional.
  • Practice empathy. To understand another person on a deeper level, try cultivating empathy. Empathy is an essential skill that can lead to more helpful behaviors, effective leadership (Humphrey, 2013), and cooperation in social dilemmas (Rumble, Van Lange & Parks, 2009). 
  • Be curious. Sometimes when you’re talking to someone, you might make assumptions about what they’re saying: maybe about how they’re feeling in a certain situation, what they like, or how they view the world. When you make assumptions, even though they are unconscious, it can derail the conversation or make the other person feel misunderstood. Instead, try to be curious and ask open-ended questions.
  • Practice interpersonal communication skills. Now that you figured out what needs improving and learned a few skills to build interpersonal communication, it’s time to practice. You can start small by practicing with a friend or family member, and then consider getting more courageous as you master the skills.

Articles Related to Interpersonal Communication​

Want to learn more about interpersonal communication? Here are some related articles that might be helpful.​​​

Books Related to Interpersonal Communication​

Here are some books that may help you learn even more about interpersonal communication​.​

Final Thoughts on Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is a part of our lives and how we connect and bond with others. It plays an essential role in the well-being of our romantic and professional relationships, and it can give us an edge in the workplace. Even if you don’t have strong interpersonal communication skills, remember that you can build them by practicing often.

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