What are interpersonal skills?

Interpersonal communication is the verbal and nonverbal exchange of ideas, information and feelings between two or more people. The term “interpersonal skills” encompasses the tactics and strategies used during these interactions. At a basic level, interpersonal skills can be appraised based on accuracy and appropriateness.

Effective communication should convey the intended message in a respectful way. In the workplace, this involves showing empathy for team members, accommodating customer needs and exuding professionalism that aligns with your company’s values.

Why are interpersonal skills important?

Regardless of role or industry, communication is a key part of professional success. Strong interpersonal skills enable clear, effective and respectful communication, reducing misunderstandings and fostering collaboration

The ability to handle disagreements calmly and constructively also ensures smoother problem-solving and can help minimize workplace tension.

Being able to listen actively, resolve conflict, communicate effectively and build healthy relationships can enhance individual performance. These abilities can also contribute to a positive workplace culture, potentially making your business a more satisfactory place to work overall and cultivating employee loyalty.

Interpersonal skills examples

When building a skilled workforce, consider the qualities you’re looking for. Here’s a quick breakdown of some valuable interpersonal skills for any workplace.

Clear and concise communication

The most basic interpersonal skill is the ability to articulate ideas in a way others can comprehend, also known as communication accommodation.

For example, professionals may use industry jargon among colleagues, but when engaging with less experienced individuals, they need to break down complicated concepts into simpler terms. This skill becomes increasingly important when dealing with people from different professional backgrounds.

Listening

A good listener makes an effort to understand what’s being said. They’re typically empathetic and able to absorb and participate in the conversation. You might use nonverbal cues, such as nodding or taking notes, or verbal ones, such as asking the speaker to elaborate or clarify their ideas. These active listening skills can help team members feel heard and accepted.

Influence and persuasion

Individuals who can balance confidence and modesty are typically regarded as credible and trustworthy. People with these leadership skills impact those around them. These individuals motivate the team or produce new ideas during meetings. They may also captivate customers and consistently make sales.

Conflict management

A person with strong conflict management skills may act as a mediator when others disagree. If they’re personally involved, they react with composure and seek out solutions that consider everybody’s best interests.

Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication is a broad category that encompasses many aspects of a person’s self-presentation. It can include body language, such as facial expressions, gestures and posture.

Empathy and emotional intelligence

Being empathetic and having strong emotional intelligence means understanding things from others’ viewpoints. This helps employees interact successfully and adjust how they work with different people to accomplish tasks more effectively.

Benefits of evaluating candidates for interpersonal skills

Employing professionals with strong interpersonal skills can help your business as a whole. This type of skills-based hiring has numerous benefits, which may include:

• Improved relationships and teamwork
• Better communication
• Increased productivity
• Greater ability to understand and meet clients’ needs
• Development of potential leaders who can advance through your organization

How to hire for interpersonal skills

Building a highly interpersonal workplace starts with recruitment. You can do several things to evaluate a professional’s interpersonal skills.

Review the cover letter and resume

Assess the candidate’s writing skills. Is the document easy to read and free from grammatical errors? A polished cover letter demonstrates strong writing skills, a fundamental qualification for many positions.

Conduct an interview

During your interview, consider how they interact with you and anyone else who might be present, such as:

• Do they show genuine attention and consideration when others speak?
• How do they engage with everyone present, regardless of role?
• How do they handle unexpected questions or moments?
• Do they highlight experiences working effectively with diverse teams?

You might inquire about a candidate’s resume, such as their role on a team, the group dynamics and how they overcame challenges. Asking interpersonal skills questions is a simple way to gauge a person’s abilities.

Conducting structured interviews can also be helpful. Create a list of hypothetical scenarios related to interpersonal skills and ask how each candidate would handle the situation. By asking everyone the same questions, you can compare and contrast their answers and decide whose approach is most suitable for your team, goals and organizational culture.

Incorporate tests

Assessments are an easy way to test interpersonal skills before or during an interview. They typically require candidates to answer predetermined questions designed to gauge specific abilities. While you shouldn’t rely solely on these tests, they can be a useful part of the recruitment process.

Conduct reference checks

Be sure to do a reference check for an objective review of your candidate’s interpersonal skills. Ask about their relationship with the applicant, how they would describe their personality and any experience working with them. If interpersonal skills are a top priority, include questions about the applicant’s communication styles.

Remember that skills can be learned

Like most other skills, interpersonal communication can be learned and improved through practice. Consider placing less experienced candidates in a supportive work environment to gain confidence and emotional intelligence. You might even find it useful to implement communication training for existing employees.

Frequently asked questions about assessing interpersonal skills

How can you help your employees improve their interpersonal skills?

Consider holding training concentrated on specific skills, such as conflict resolution or effective communication. Set specific goals related to these skills and encourage employees to work on them daily. Modeling desirable skills yourself also gives employees an example to follow.

Which interpersonal skills are most important?

All interpersonal skills are valuable. Effectively communicating with colleagues and clients is necessary for most positions. The specific skills you look for can vary based on the role.

For example, strong written communication skills are essential for someone who responds to email support submissions, while conflict resolution is important for mediators, school administrators and law enforcement personnel. Determine which skills are most relevant to the role you have in mind and prioritize your assessment accordingly.

What other soft skills are important in job applicants?

Many soft skills are important for the workplace and can help a candidate succeed. Examples include teamwork, negotiation, networking, motivation, positivity, time management, problem-solving and critical thinking. When deciding what to look for in applicants, consider which soft skills will help the new hire handle the job duties well.