What Are Interpersonal Skills? And How to Strengthen Them

Today’s modern workplaces, particularly in countries like the U.S., seek employees with not just technical acumen, but also the right interpersonal skills. What are interpersonal skills? They are a set of attributes representing the ability to communicate, build relationships, and interact effectively. Some components include active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication, empathy, etc. 

These are vital for resolving conflicts, building collaborations, and enhancing productivity at the workplace. It matters even more at a time when reports highlight how 92% of hiring professionals believe that soft skills are equally as or more important than hard skills.

Source: WeCP

Understanding Interpersonal Skills and Why They Matter in Today’s Workplace

Here are some insights to help you gauge the interpersonal skills meaning more effectively. 

Skill	Meaning	Importance
Communication	Conveying information effectively (verbal and non-verbal)	Preventing misunderstandings, idea sharing, and constructive feedback delivery
Active Listening	Full attention to speakers, understanding, and suitable responses with verbal + non-verbal cues	Rapport-building, showing respect, and better decision-making
Teamwork & Collaboration	Working with others towards a shared goal	Higher creativity, more efficient problem-solving, and project completion
Problem-Solving	Identifying and analyzing problems, developing effective solutions	Tackling challenges, fostering a culture of innovation, and process improvements
Empathy	Understanding and sharing others’ feelings	Building an  inclusive and supportive environment, relationship-building, and lower conflict resolution
Conflict Resolution	Managing disagreements with mutually acceptable solutions	Keeps minor issues from escalating and maintains a positive work ambience
Emotional Intelligence	Recognising and regulating emotions and understanding the emotions of others	Higher self-awareness and leadership, stronger interpersonal relationships, and a harmonious work environment

What are Interpersonal Skills?

Interpersonal skills, or people skills, are those abilities used to communicate and interact more effectively with other people. The end-goal? Building, managing, and sustaining relationships better in the workplace. Some interpersonal skills examples include active listening, empathy, teamwork, problem-solving, etc. These skills are crucial for both your professional and personal life, since they foster better productivity, collaboration, and interactions. 

Also read: Communicate with Confidence: Top Courses to Boost Skills

Why Interpersonal Skills Are Crucial for Career Growth

Interpersonal skills training is essential for developing these attributes. They are crucial for career growth due to the following reasons: 

• Enable effective communication 
• Better idea sharing at work, along with providing feedback better 
• Building better relationships with clients, colleagues, and superiors 
• Enabling improved teamwork and conflict resolution 
• Enhancing overall productivity and morale
• Making you more adaptable and a better leader

Key Types of Interpersonal Skills

Here are the key types of interpersonal skills in a nutshell: 

• Interpersonal Communication Skills– Verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening
• Emotional Intelligence- Assertiveness, Empathy
• Problem-Solving & Decision-Making- Conflict Resolution, Decision-Making, Negotiation
• Teamwork and Collaboration- Leadership, Teamwork 
• Personal Attributes- Dependability, Patience, Flexibility, Adaptability 

Barriers to Strong Interpersonal Skills

Some of these barriers include:

• Internal- Emotional and psychological factors like stress, anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem, along with a lack of self-awareness, poor listening skills, and a lack of confidence.
• External– Cultural differences, language barriers, and distractions fall in this category, along with hierarchies, lack of trust, etc.

Common Misconceptions About Interpersonal Skills

Some of these misconceptions include the following: 

• Myth: Some people are naturally good at communication, and others are not. 
• Reality: They are developed through learning and practice.

• Myth: Communication is just speaking/sending information, and the sender’s message is always received. 
• Reality: Effective communication is never a one-way street. IT requires active listening, understanding, and engagement with perspectives. 

• Myth: Technology hinders interpersonal interaction quality. 
• Reality: It can enhance and facilitate better communication, fill gaps, and foster collaboration. 

• Myth: Just communicating resolves all issues.
• Reality: While it is crucial, it does not solve anything automatically. The understanding and interaction quality matter immensely in this case.

• Myth: Body language is universal.
• Reality: Gestures and body language can vary massively across different cultures and environments.

Also read: Essential Business Skills Every MBA Graduate in the US Should Master

How to Strengthen Your Interpersonal Skills: Practical Steps & Strategies

Here’s how to strengthen interpersonal skills: 

• Practice active listening and giving your full attention to others when they’re speaking
• Journaling and building self-awareness
• Continuous self-assessment 
• Being empathetic
• Seeking regular feedback to improve 
• Conflict resolution and other role-play exercises
• Taking online course modules or sessions 
• Noticing non-verbal cues and body language
• Reflecting on minor conflicts and understanding how it could have been fixed
• Analyzing how situations could have been handled differently 

Also read: Improve Your Productivity with Leading Time Management Courses

Programs & Learning with upGrad to Boost Your Interpersonal Skills and Soft Skills Arsenal

upGrad USA is a great online platform where you will find diverse courses across disciplines from the world’s top universities. These programs also help you build your leadership, communication, and other crucial soft skills to succeed in the U.S. and other global job markets. They also offer flexible online learning formats and are tailored for the U.S. in terms of curricula and industry-readiness. 

Here are some courses worth considering: 

• MBA from O.P. Jindal Global University
• Master’s in Business Management and Technology from Paris School of Business 
• HR Analytics Course Certification from IIM-K

FAQs on Interpersonal Skills