From conversational skills to leadership skills to listening skills, we can focus on elements of interpersonal communication that contribute to our effectiveness at home and the office. Too often, we ignore our soft skill set to focus on our hard skills, like our ability to use a computer program, or our knowledge of a subject or field. Learning how to help others use the computer program, or sharing your knowledge, insights, ideas, and voice requires effective interpersonal skills we continue to develop across a lifetime. Assessing your current interpersonal skills provides insight into what essential skills you want to showcase to your employer. Assessing your current opportunities helps you plan out your continued path to success.

In our first Discussion, we consider interpersonal communication, what it means to each of us, how we use it every day, and our strengths and opportunities for improvement.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Read the Communication Program Discussion Guidelines.
• Read “Chapter 6.1: Principles of Interpersonal Communication” in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Read the chapter “What Is Communication?” in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Read “Interpersonal Skills” in this week’s Learning Resources
• Take the Interpersonal Skills Self-Assessment. Note that you will need a copy of your results from this assessment. You can either take a screenshot of them or have them e-mailed to you

By Day 4

Post a response that addresses the following questions:

1. Define interpersonal communication in your own words. How do you use this on a daily basis?
2. After reading the results of the self-assessment, describe two areas of strength that you have. Give an example of how you use these in your life.
3. After reading the results of the self-assessment, describe two areas of improvement that you could have. Give an example of these from your life.

Refer to the Week 1 Discussion Rubric 1 for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 7

Respond to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight that you gained from having read your colleague’s posting.
• Offer and support a new opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.