Interpersonal skill means to interact with people through effective communication. It is essential for students to attach with people and helps with their personality development too. Students learn these skills at school with their teachers and classmates. However, there are students who lack interpersonal skills no matter whether they are introverts or extroverts.

Types and the importance of Interpersonal Skills

LISTENING

Listening is a key element for effective communication. A good listener can receive the messages and interpret them precisely. Students need to pay keen attention to the class. If students are listening attentively during lectures, they will be able to raise doubts and ask their teachers.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

This fosters socialization by facilitating new friendships and these, in turn, help the learning process. So, students speak with the teachers in order to express themselves.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

It plays a vital part in human interaction. This refers to gestures, tone, postures, signs, facial expressions and body language that can transfer the people’s feelings to others and non–verbal communication is more effective than verbal messages.

TEAMWORK

Teamwork is important for students to achieve well–formed education and to learn the important skills of compromise and collaboration. 

CREATIVITY

During schooling, students are expected to work on assignments, projects and also take part in competitions outside school, so that students have to thrive in their creativity to prosper at all levels.

EMPATHY/SYMPATHY

Students need to understand the feelings of others, whether it is their teachers, parents, classmates, and friends, empathy or being compassionate helps them put up a good relationship and the pupils get support from other people whenever they face difficulty.

SOCIAL/ PERSUASIVE

This refers to the availability of a person to their friends; family and the people he is familiar with since it assists them to develop his personality as well as trust in his relationships.

LEADERSHIP

This quality makes a student accept the challenges, solve problems and analyze his career direction. To nurture this quality of leadership, students can take part and perform in group activities confidently.

PATIENCE

Lack of patience makes students quit studies easily. So, it is very important for every student to learn patience to keep track of their goals.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

It is important for students getting involved in public speaking and this skill can be developed by participating in various activities like debates, group discussions, recitation, and presentations. It nurtures their confidence and facilitates them in connecting with people.

Guidelines for developing interpersonal skills

NURTURE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

A student needs to be optimistic by reminding himself of the good things about life and their work. If a pupil gets upset about a personal issue, then he should be able to calm himself and start looking for the positivity in the situation and try to build on that.

ORGANIZE THE EMOTIONS

Organizing the emotions indicates the idea that a student should try to express his feelings in a calm and composed manner. When a student is truly annoyed, depressed or extremely happy, it will be good if he makes an effort to tone his emotions down.

RECOGNIZE OTHERS’ CAPABILITY

Try to figure out good traits in others. Ask for other students’ help and guidance on projects and give credit when and where the credit is due.

BE ASSERTIVE

Being assertive refers to the way a person expresses effectively and stands up for his views without violating others’ beliefs and rights. It is very important for a student. Showing his confidence, he need not hesitate or shy off to express his requirements and limits.

Interpersonal skills not only aid the students in their education or school life but all the way through their career also. As students build up interpersonal skills during school, it turns into a part of their behavior and helps them work together with people from different regions. During job interviews, employers consider these skills as a significant aspect of selecting a candidate. So, interpersonal skills enhance the chances of employability and a successful career.