Improving Communication Skills For Better Interpersonal Relationships

Improving Communication Skills For Better Interpersonal Relationships

Communication is the cornerstone for all relationships. Without good communication skills a person is pretty much doomed at interpersonal relationships. Communication is vital for all kinds of interpersonal relationships, between partners, colleagues, friends and family.

Improving Communication Skills for Better Interpersonal Relationships

• Communication is not just about talking or speaking, it is also about listening. Therefore communication is a three way process: you speak, you listen and then you react and speak on the basis of the information you have received.

• Most problems in interpersonal relationships stem at the inability to listen or pay attention to what the other person is saying.

• Communication is effective if you are speaking in the right pitch and you are speaking clearly and at a comfortable pace. Don’t be in a hurry to finish a conversation. This will take some amount of practice but the results will be far beyond your expectations.

• Communication is not restricted to the verbal interaction between two people but also includes non-verbal cues. This includes the body language you display. If you are telling your partner that you want to know how they feel and then fidget or keep glancing at your watch, then you are communicating an entirely different message.

• Make and keep eye contact. This tells the person that you want to communicate and be with them.

• Think about what you are saying before you say it, this is age-old wisdom and you can’t go wrong with it. This is especially true when you are irritated or angry and may say things that you really don’t mean. But once you have said them, the damage is done, so pay attention to what you say.

• Don’t say one thing and do another as this sends the other person mixed signals and creates a state of confusion and tension in the relationship.

Good communication skills take time and practice to master and are crucial to the success of every relationship in your life.