Improving Interpersonal Communication

Effective interpersonal communication is a crucial component in both personal and professional life. It forms the foundation for strong relationships, effective decision-making, and efficient problem-solving. However, as we have seen, many individuals struggle to communicate effectively with others, leading to miscommunication, conflict, and reduced productivity. This underlines the critical need for improved interpersonal communication skills. Let’s explore active listening and effective feedback as two important methods of enhancing communication.
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Active Listening

Active listening is the process by which the listener assumes a conscious and dynamic role in the communication process through behavior and action. It can create a more dynamic relationship between a receiver and a sender. It strengthens personal investment in the information being shared. It also forges healthy working relationships among colleagues by making speakers and listeners equally valued members of the communication process. Consider utilizing the following to help improve your active listening skills:

Active listening looks like this:
	Pay close attention – Not only should you be paying close attention to the information that is being shared, but also pay attention to the nonverbal cues of the sender.
	Give good nonverbal cues – Your nonverbal cues have the ability to influence whether or not the communication continues. Be sure to make eye contact with the speaker, and consider mirroring the sender’s body language during face-to-face conversations.
	Paraphrase – When the sender pauses, summarize what you believe has been said. “What I’m hearing is that we need to focus on marketing as well as sales. Is that correct?”
	Respect others’ feelings and opinions – While it is not necessary to always agree with others, consider how you can find common ground and show respect for their feelings and options.
	Minimize distractions – Listening is a full-time job. It’s tempting to multitask when you and the sender are in different places, but doing that is counterproductive. The human mind can only focus on one thing at a time. Listening with only part of your brain increases the chances that you’ll have questions later, ultimately requiring more of the speaker’s time.
	Ask open-ended questions – Open-ended questions can encourage further conversation that often leads to a better understanding of the initial message being sent. They often start with ‘what’ or ‘how’.
	Ask clarifying questions – There’s nothing wrong with admitting you haven’t understood the sender’s point. You may even help the sender clarify the message.
	Summarize – Summarizing the message for the sender provides an opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings or confusion. Consider sending a written summary of key tasks after one-on-one conversations or team meetings.

Watch this video on YouTube, Body Language Expert Explains how to Show Confidence, to learn more about how body language and nonverbal communication impact interpersonal communication.

Effective Feedback

Communication must be restated and reinforced to ensure no noise is seeping into the message. For instance, if managers set goals for employees, they should be prepared to give that employee feedback on their progress, keeping them on course to reach the finish line.

Positive feedback is always good to share, and negative feedback is a little harder. Both need to be offered if employees are expected to change behaviors. Effective feedback should:

• Be fact-based and timely
• Focus on specific behaviors that are clearly documented, rather than vague statements about personalities or attitudes
• Be job related and professional
• Address behaviors under the control of the person receiving the feedback

The sender should also ensure that the receiver has fully understood the feedback.