Importance of interpersonal skills

Joe recently went to a party which was not very enjoyable because he hardly anyone spoke to him. Lacking the necessary interpersonal skills, he curled up liken a hermit crab, chilling at a corner of the room. No one did and he was the loser. Being frightened of initiating conversation was the cause of him being ignored. Sounds familiar? Have you always wanted to walk into a room being sure of yourself, lifting up the chin of yours with confidence, being able to start a conversation?

Interpersonal skills are important in life but sadly they do not come naturally. Blame on our Asian upbringing, many of us are influence by the belief of keeping the opinion to oneself and avoid expression to a certain extent to avoid conflict. Our inner feelings about ourselves, our level of confidence and degree of interest in others are shaped by the things we see and hear since the day we see light. When such skills are missing in the home, group or office, it can lead to loneliness, frustration, non-cooperation and substandard service.

Shy people dread any form of interactions, projecting an unfavorable image of themselves or take any interest in others. The focus is always on them to seek validation from others. However the truth about such a skill is that you will need to put them to use, take the step of faith and practice, practice and practice. Without it, the result might be unnecessary tension and fear which leads to missed opportunities in life be it securing the job interview or hooking up the eye candy.

Having positive interpersonal skills increases the productivity of any company since the number of conflicts is reduced. In informal situations, it allows communication to be easy and comfortable. People with good interpersonal skills can generally control the feelings that emerge in difficult situations and respond appropriately, instead of being overwhelmed by emotion. They tend to be easily recognized by their superiors and eventually take up leadership posts.
To be successful in things we do in life, one aspect we should never neglect or give little priority to is definitely interpersonal skills.