Introduction
The use of language in interpersonal communication has assisted humanity in evolving into intelligent creatures. Man is motivated to communicate through social, practical, or physical needs which others can appreciably meet. Effective communication skills, theories, and concepts are critical in establishing and sustaining good interpersonal communication. It is especially important to apply these skills when resolving conflicts in the academic or work environment. While conflict impedes communication, it is enhanced through active listening, considering the message’s recipient and evaluating its resultant psychological toll.
Interpersonal Communication
Conflict at work is inevitable due to the various moving parts dedicated to running a business smoothly. As a statistical analyst, my employer is often tasked with handling large amounts of sensitive data and processing them into intelligible data. I am assigned a significant portion of that work based on official certification recognized by the national board of statisticians. However, this certification proved insufficient for my employer, who insisted on re-certification according to the company’s standards. The suggestion to re-certify involved discontinuation of work which was crucial in supplying funds targeted at paying fees for the statistics course. Moreover, confirmation with authorities confirmed the validity of my papers, leading me to speculate the employer intends to finagle funds from workers for unnecessary certification.
Communication theories delineate the different frameworks utilized in transferring and decoding information from sender to recipient. The psychological theory of communication assigns importance to the emotions and thoughts of both parties (Adler et al., 2018). Feedback and reactions are also heavily assessed in addition to the flow of information to the recipient. Authors Adler et al. use emotional intelligence to define the sensitivity and ability to manage one’s feelings (2018). This ability varies from person to person since everyone reacts physiologically differently to stimuli. Therefore, feelings of anger, despair, and frustration may be expressed to a stronger degree in others due to the influence of their personality or culture.
My emotional intelligence is lacking since I did not consider my employer’s feelings remotely. In an industry characterized by elite clients, their safety and privacy are tantamount to creating lasting business relationships. Therefore, requiring dependable certification from his employees is the bare minimum contribution to averting the clients’ fears. Emotionally expressing his feelings of despair and frustration is only possible if I, the recipient, am intelligent enough to understand the underlying pressures (Lestari, 2021). Furthermore, constructively expressing my frustration and anger in a mature manner would have spared the integrity of the employer-worker relationship.
Interpersonal communication also requires a skilled communicator to employ communication concepts that adjust their tact and approach. The most vital concept is the sender and receiver since they establish the basic communication building blocks (Adler et al., 2018). For a message to be processed, it requires an intelligent recipient. Man’s methods of uniting the two have evolved from in-person interactions to social-media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, despite the multiplication of messaging services and platforms, the sender and receiver remain crucial. Communicators may define their interactions through authority, social class, or the current emergency circumstance.
After working with my employer for two years, I should be conversant with his personality traits and tics. Instead, I aggravated the situation by inflaming his anxiety and approaching the re-certification conflict with the wrong attitude. If I had re-shuffled my perspective, I would have perceived the stresses my superior was undergoing and subsequently sought re-certification without creating a disagreement. Actively applying the concept of sender and receiver would aid me in my interpersonal relationships in the future.
Communication skills assist people in sharing their thoughts and feelings effectively. These skills are not limited to physical actions such as maintaining eye contact and being prepared in advance when handling a tough topic. Active listening is an essential skill when communicating and engaging with friends or family (Adler et al., 2018). It entails paying attention to the recipient’s body language and facial expressions, which are useful in determining the message’s impact (Lestari, 2021). Additionally, seeking clarification by asking follow-up questions demonstrates an interest in the subject. These actions encompass active listening by perfecting the subject matter.
Anger and frustration are emotions whose effect on facial expressions and body language is unmistakable. However, I failed to notice my employer’s tone of voice as he addressed me due to my inept character. Furthermore, I erroneously averted my gaze, which exacerbated the conflict by introducing bodily violence. An earlier assessment of his hands and face would have revealed the direness of the situation, which would have motivated me to resolve it quickly. Additionally, asking follow-up questions regarding the required identification documents during the interview process would have averted the conflict.
Conclusion
In conclusion, interpersonal communication is essential for growth and evolution. Human beings express messages through their thoughts, feelings, and words. It is crucial to apply effective skills, concepts, and theories to everyday scenarios to minimize conflicts and disagreements. Actively listening to the sender or receiver of any message drastically improves one’s ability to process it. These skills, however, need to be updated and improved upon to reflect changes in culture, gender, and personality in the society.
References
Adler, R. B., Rosenfeld, L. B., & Proctor, R. F. (2018). Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication (14th ed.). Oxford Press University.
Lestari, P. V. R. (2021). Effect of empathy, emotional intelligence on interpersonal communication. International Journal of Research Publications, 82(1).