DEFINING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Interpersonal communication is the process of exchanging ideas or meaning between people.
1. The Nature of Interpersonal Communication:
- The scope of interpersonal communication can be as small as one-to-one interactions between two people, expanded to one-on-two transactions between three people, or even include one person exchanging ideas with a large audience.
2. Nonverbal Communication:
- Nonverbal should be consistent with and not contradict accompanying words. When words and/or nonverbal are grossly inappropriate or contradictory, communication can permanently damage healthy relationships.
- You must be aware of how you stand or sit, the way you hold your hands, or even the way you talk; these things communicate something about you to your subordinates.
3. Perceptions:
- Perceptions are established by years of diverse experiences, and work as filters to assign unique meaning to words you hear and/or the actions that you see.
4. Interpersonal Communication Patterns:
- Being aware of your interpersonal tendencies gives you an edge; it allows you to control outward verbal or nonverbal signals that might impede the essential transactions you need to have with your subordinates.
- if you have a very calm, sedate personality, subordinates may not know by the tone of your voice that you’re assigning a sense of urgency to particular task; you’d be more successful if you verbally express the urgency. If you’re a very outgoing person, they may know that you’re angry before you say anything at all.
-The key is to be conscious of your own tendencies and recognize how your receiver is most likely to interpret them. If your receiver doesn't know what your behavior means, he or she may interpret your message incorrectly.
5. Supervisor to Subordinate Interpersonal Communication:
- Each interpersonal session is unique in that a number of situational issues, including random and unpredictable circumstances, drive people to interact with one another.
- Supervisor to subordinate interpersonal communication is often driven by supervisory responsibilities, including setting standards, evaluating performance, and providing effective feedback
- The level of trust and mutual respect will affect how subordinates respond to you when you correct their substandard behavior, search for solutions to their personal problems, or praise their accomplishments.
6. The Helping Relationship:
- The optimal supervisor-subordinate relationship is one where both parties trust each other and the subordinate knows the supervisor is there to assist.
- While each interpersonal situation has a slightly different twist, supervisors should approach each session with the intent to help their subordinates. This requires two-way communication during the interpersonal session.
- First, you both need to be aware of the issue or topic at hand, then you have to discuss all aspects of the situation, and finally you have to come up with an option that both parties can accept. The result should come from collaboration toward a mutually agreed upon outcome.
- Even when your interpersonal communication session is more one-way in the sense that you’re reprimanding your subordinate for being late, you should still focus on helping him or her correct the situation and remain self-disciplined. You shouldn’t reprimand subordinates to embarrass them or show them you’re in charge

DEVELOPING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
The Interpersonal Communication skills process consists of the pre-session, session, and post-session, and the steps/skills that make up those elements.
Pre-Session Activities
1. Diagnose:
- Before you can conduct an interpersonal session, you must first know why you are conducting this session.
- Have you noticed an unusual change in behavior for your subordinate? Have you witnessed him/her looking troubled?
2. Prepare:
- Prior to the session, you will first need to determine the approach