Interpersonal Skills

What Are Interpersonal Skills?

Also known as people skills or soft skills

Interpersonal skills, also known as people skills or soft skills, are how well you communicate, interact and relate to others. Someone with exceptional interpersonal skills might be said to have high PQ or interpersonal intelligence.

There are many types of interpersonal skills. Someone with great interpersonal skills might be able to:

• Speak so people listen
• Decode body language
• Negotiate easily
• Be highly charismatic
• Have high empathy
• Be socially assertive
• Read facial expressions
• Be more likable

How to Improve Interpersonal Skills

Three essential buckets

The best way to improve your interpersonal skills is by breaking them up into three buckets.

Verbal Interpersonal Skills — The first and most important bucket is how we communicate with our words. From negotiations to interviews to chit chat in the breakroom, being able to communicate effectively is essential. People with high interpersonal intelligence are verbally talented. They can calm someone down, answer a difficult interview question or ask for a raise.

Nonverbal Interpersonal Skills — Body language is an essential interpersonal skill and makes up the unspoken aspect of our communication. Nonverbal communication is not just how we move our body, it’s also our facial expressions and voice tone.

Relationship Management — Relationships are a two-way street. You must be able to set up boundaries, communicate your needs and be socially assertive. At the same time, you must be empathetic, read other people’s needs and respond with authenticity.

How to Decode the Face

Spot the seven universal microexpressions

Can you spot facial expressions? Research has found there are seven universal microexpressions. In this tutorial we review each of them and how to spot them on others.

Microexpressions Guide

Learn to read the seven universal facial expressions that reveal hidden emotions.Learn Microexpressions →

How to Talk to Anyone

Master conversational skills

People with high interpersonal intelligence have excellent conversational skills. This means they are able to open a conversation with anyone as well as carry on deep conversations with partners, bosses and friends.

How to Nicely Interrupt Someone

A surprisingly useful skill

You know when you’re talking with someone and they just won’t stop talking? There is a nice way to get them to stop talking and you should have this interpersonal skill in your back pocket.

Nicely Interrupt Someone

The art of politely ending a conversation when someone won't stop talking.Learn How →

Learn to Negotiate Effectively

Ask for what you’re worth

Asking for what you are worth can be incredibly difficult. Navigating tense interpersonal situations with grace and skill can really set you apart. It is both a verbal and nonverbal skill.

Be a Better Team Member

The science of teamwork

There is a science to teamwork. This interpersonal skill falls into the relationship management bucket. Whether you are a team leader or simply a new team member, you should know how teams work and the best ways to leverage your team.

Teamwork Guide

Science-backed strategies for being an exceptional team member and leader.Learn Teamwork →

Learn to Deal With Difficult People

Handle toxic personalities

Dealing with difficult or toxic people is absolutely an interpersonal skill. You never know when you are going to have to deal with a difficult person at work or a friend of a friend.

Add Leadership To Your Skill Set

Lead whether you recognize it or not

You might be a leader whether you recognize it or not. Are you the leader of your family? Are you a leader on your team? Do you strive to be a leader? One of the most important interpersonal skills is knowing how to lead.

Leadership Guide

Science-backed tutorial on becoming a more effective leader.Be a Better Leader →

Interpersonal Skills Make You More Interesting

Charisma can be learned

People who are highly charismatic or exceptionally likable have one major thing in common: they are interesting. While being interesting can come naturally, more often it is learned.

Exit Social Situations With Grace

The art of last impressions

When talking about interpersonal intelligence, we hear a lot about first impressions, but what about last impressions? The art of making a graceful exit is incredibly important if you spend a lot of time networking.

Interpersonal Skills Training

Level up your PQ

Interpersonal skills training is a way to hone your communication, relationships and nonverbal ability in a systematic way. People School is the most advanced, science-backed interpersonal skills training in the industry—and it’s all completely virtual.

Continue Your Learning

Explore more resources to master interpersonal intelligence.