Chapter -IX
Interpersonal and Group
Communication
Interpersonal Communication
• The process by which people exchange information, feelings,
and meaning through verbal and non-verbal message.
• It is face-to-face communication.
• Interpersonal communication skills—also known as people
skills or soft skills—are the abilities we use when interacting
with others, both verbally and nonverbally. They’re essential in
everyday life, from personal relationships to professional
environments.
• Interpersonal communication is not just about what is actually
said - the language used - but how it is said and the non-verbal
messages sent through tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures
and body language.
Contd…
• Building strong and positive relationships is the
main purpose of interpersonal communication.
• Effective interpersonal communication requires
emotional intelligence.
• Effective interpersonal communication among
employees in an organization promotes
collaboration, creates a good working
environment and raises employees’ motivation.
Characteristics of Interpersonal
• Involves face to face meetings between two parties
• Involves two people in varying roles and
relationships to one another
• Always two way communication
• Does not simply involve the exchange of messages
but exchange the creation and exchange of meaning
• It is wholly or partly intentional.
• An on going process rather than an event or series of
events
Uses/ Importance of Interpersonal
Communication
• Give and collect information.
• Influence the attitudes and behaviour of others.
• Form contacts and maintain relationships.
• Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.
• Express personal needs and understand the needs of others.
• Give and receive emotional support.
• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Anticipate and predict behaviour.
• Regulate power.
Interpersonal Communication Skills
1.Verbal & Nonverbal Communication
• Verbal: Clear expression of ideas with straightforward language;
essential in both spoken and written formats .
• Nonverbal: Body language, eye contact, posture, and tone can convey
up to 93% of emotional meaning.
2. Active Listening
• Involves truly paying attention, reflecting back, and confirming.
• Builds trust, reduces misunderstandings, and enhances rapport
3. Empathy & Emotional Intelligence
• Understanding others’ emotions and responding appropriately helps
foster strong connections and smoother conflict resolution.
• Includes self-awareness and regulation, essential for healthy
interactions .
4. Conflict Resolution & Problem-Solving
• Enables productive handling of disagreements through respectful
communication and solution-oriented dialogue .
Contd
6 Teamwork & Leadership
• Effective communication builds strong teams, clarifies
roles, and solves problems together .
• Inspiring leaders use interpersonal skills to motivate,
delegate, and foster trust.
7 Positive Attitude & Constructive Presence
• A positive demeanor encourages collaboration, innovation,
and resilience.
• Approaching interactions with openness and gratitude
strengthens relationships
Building and Maintaining
Professional Relationships
Following practice helps building and maintaining
meaningful and enduring relationships.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully
• Be reliable and accountable
• Practice active listening
• Maintain professionalism in all interactions
• Show appreciation and acknowledge contributions
• Build and maintain a network
Group Communication
• Group communication is about how people interact within a team
or collective—sharing ideas, solving problems, and building
relationships. It contributes in the following ways.
• Boosts collaboration & productivity: Effective group
communication allows teams to share ideas, work together
efficiently, and even enhance productivity by up to 25 % .
• Improves decision-making: Diverse views are voiced and
debated, fostering informed, balanced decisions .
• Builds trust & relationships: Open, transparent communication
strengthens trust and rapport among members.
• Enhances clarity & alignment: Regular updates ensure everyone
understands goals and responsibilities, reducing errors and
misunderstandings.
Components of Effective Group Communication
1.Clarity of Purpose & Goals
• Every group interaction should have a clear objective—whether it’s sharing updates, solving a
problem, or brainstorming. A shared purpose helps keep discussions focused and purposeful .
2. Active Listening
• Truly hearing others by focusing, reflecting, and paraphrasing fosters respect, avoids
misunderstandings, and builds connection Creating a safe space for sharing thoughts and
feedback helps build trust and equips the group to function as a cohesive unit .
3. Clear & Concise Messaging
• Simple, straightforward communication—verbal or written—reduces confusion and ensures
everyone can follow the discussion .
4. Nonverbal Cues
• Body language, eye contact, tone, and gestures carry significant meaning and must align with
verbal communication.
5. Constructive Feedback
• Timely, respectful feedback (e.g. “sandwich” method) helps the group learn, improve, and
stay aligned.
7.Collaborative Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
• Involving all members through brainstorming and consensus-building leverages diverse
insights and fosters ownership .
Contd..
8. Defined Roles & Responsibilities
• Clarity around who does what helps prevent confusion,
duplication, and inefficiency .
9. Adaptability & Emotional Intelligence
• Adjusting communication style to individuals/situations, showing
empathy, and managing emotions encourages inclusion and
resilience .
10. Feedback Loops & Noise Reduction
• Regular check-ins and confirmations help filter out
misunderstandings or barriers that might disrupt communication .
Group Dynamics
• Group dynamics refers to the behavioral and psychological
forces that shape how individuals interact, establish norms,
adopt roles, and work toward common goals within a group.
• According to Tuckman, groups evolve through five stages:
• Forming: Getting acquainted, establishing expectations
• Storming: Navigating conflicts and establishing roles
• Norming: Settling into routines, shared trust & guidelines
• Performing: Effective collaboration and high productivity
• Adjourning: Reflecting and disbanding after task completion
Barriers to Effective Group
Communication and Mitigating
Strategies
1.Physical & Environmental Barriers:
• Noise, distractions, uncomfortable settings (e.g.,
crowded rooms, poor lighting/temperature) disrupt focus.
• Physical distance or broken tech (e.g., remoteness,
malfunctioning audio/video tools) can prevent non‑verbal
cues from reaching participants .
• How to mitigate: Choose quiet, comfortable venues
(virtual or in-person) and test tech before meetings.
Contd..
2. Psychological & Emotional Barriers
• Stress, anxiety, emotions may cloud attention and lead to misinterpretation
• Prejudices & biases (e.g., premature evaluation or selective perception) skew
understanding .
• Mitigating strategies : Encourage emotional self-awareness, pause before
responding, and foster a bias-aware environment.
3. Semantic & Language Barriers
• Jargon, technical terms, or vocabulary mismatches can confuse team
members.
• Accents, multilingual teams, slang may impede clarity.
• Mitigating strategies: Use plain language, explain specialist terms, and
confirm understanding through summarizing or asking clarifying questions.
4. Structural & Organizational Barriers
Contd..
• Hierarchies, rigid rules, silos restrict free
communication; filtering through levels distorts
messages.
• Information overload & bad timing—too much info
at once or messages sent at the wrong time—
overwhelm recipients.
• Tip: Flatten communication where possible, define
clear channels and norms, pace information delivery,
and time communications thoughtfully.
5.Cultural & Perceptual Barriers
• Differing cultural norms around communication style or
nonverbal lead to misunderstandings
• Selective filters & semantic differences reflect individual
experiences and beliefs
• Tip: Promote cultural awareness, diversity training, active
listening, and encourage expressing and understanding
different viewpoints.
6. Technological Barriers:
• Limited internet connectivity
• Device availability
• Accessibility to technology
Group Decision making
• Workplaces are increasingly becoming more
democratic.
• Group decision-making is an essential aspect of
organizations, businesses, and social institutions.
• Group-decision making is a collaborative process in
which members work together to analyze problems,
generate solutions, and make collective choices.
The Decision-Making Process
• Problem Identification
• Information Gathering
• Setting Criteria
• Generating Alternative Solutions
• Evaluating Solutions
• Making a Decision
• Feedback and Implementation
Challenges of Group Decision Making
Dominance & Power Dynamics
• Strong personalities or formal authority can overshadow quieter members, biasing decisions
toward dominant voices.
Conflict, Resistance & Status Quo Bias
• Disputes, fear of change, and attachment to current practices can stall progress.
Coordination & Communication Pitfalls
• Poor communication skills, unfocused meetings, procrastination, and superficial analysis can
derail effective decisions.
Shared-Information Bias
• Groups often dwell on shared knowledge and fail to uncover unique insights held by only
some members, leading to uninformed decisions.
Groupthink & Conformity
• Teams may prioritize harmony over critical evaluation, suppressing dissent and risking poor
outcomes.
Time & Efficiency
• Requires coordination, lengthy discussions, consensus-building, and scheduling—making it
slower than individual decisions.
Strategies of Overcoming the
Challenges
• Active listening and Participation
• Assigning clear and definitive roles such as initiator,
note-taker or time keeper.
• Crediting and valuing each member’s contribution
• Using digital platforms or tools to gather feedback
and opinions.
Conflict Resolution
• Conflict resolution is the structured process of
addressing and resolving disagreements or disputes
between individuals or groups in a peaceful,
constructive manner.
• Its goal is to identify the root causes, understand
the needs and perspectives of all parties, and reach
a mutually acceptable solution that restores
harmony and prevents future conflict .
Sources or Types of Group Conflict
• Relationship Conflict (also called Affective or Personal Conflict) rooted
in personality clashes, emotional tension, or interpersonal dislike. Highly
destructive to group cohesion.
• Status & Jurisdiction Conflict
Tensions over hierarchy, authority, turf, or unclear roles and expectations
• Role Conflict
When individuals experience conflicting demands or unclear expectations
about their role in the team.
• Task Conflict
Disagreements about what the group should do — ideas, goals,
interpretations of facts. Can be constructive when well-managed.
• Process/ Procedural Conflict
Disputes over how to do the work — roles, responsibilities, methods, and
procedures. Often frustrating and disruptive when unresolved.
Strategies of Conflict Resolution
• Focus on Interests, Not Positions
– Identify shared underlying needs instead of rigid demands; strive for solutions that
address core interests
• Negotiation & Compromise
– Approach with a win-win mindset—trade concessions where appropriate to find
common ground .
• Collaborative Problem-Solving
– Brainstorm together; combine perspectives to design creative, mutually beneficial
outcomes
• Active Listening & Empathy
– Fully engage, paraphrase, validate emotions to foster understanding .
– Recognizing feelings in the other person builds trust and de-escalates tensions
• Calm, Clear, and Respectful Communication
– Take time to regulate emotions—pause if needed
– Use gentle yet assertive language to stay on topic, aiming for constructive dialogue .
• In brief, competing, collaborating, avoiding, compromising and accommodating are
major strategies for resolving conflicts.
Negotiation
• Negotiation involves a conversation or discussion
between two parties to find an acceptable resolution
of a dispute or issue.
• Negotiation is a structured dialogue between two or
more parties aimed at reaching an acceptable
agreement through give-and-take. It’s used in
everything from salary talks and business deals to
resolving interpersonal conflicts.
Negotiation Situations
• The number of people involved
• The scope of the subject
• The relationship between the negotiators
• Culture and climate
Negotiation Strategies
• Preparation phase
• Beginning Phase
• Exploration Phase
• Discussion Phase
• Decision Phase
• Closing Phase
Successful Negotiation Skills
• Active Listening and Empathy
• Preparation and Research
• Effective Communication
• Flexibility and Adaptability
• Emotional Intelligence
