Importance of Personal and Interpersonal Communication in Effective Business Communication

This report highlights the importance of personal and interpersonal communication in effective business communication. It discusses the significance of interpersonal communication, communication styles, and recommendations to improve interpersonal communication. The report emphasizes the need for managers to make effective communication a priority and offers strategies to improve internal communication at ABC Ltd.

Management Communication
Personal and interpersonal aspects of communication

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Executive Summary
Personal and interpersonal communication play a significant role in an individual’s life.
Communication forms the backbone which continues to support members of an organization.
Effectiveness of personal and interpersonal communication is essential in order to share
information, offer feedback, resolve conflicts, coordinate and address grievances. Individuals in
the same firm have different styles of communicating.
Managers at ABC Ltd must work towards making effective communication a priority. This
would result in long term employee retention as well as satisfaction by creation of an optimistic
workplace environment. The report also recommends a few strategies to improve upon internal
communication at ABC Ltd.

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Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................1
Introduction to personal and interpersonal communication............................................................2
Importance of interpersonal communication...................................................................................2
Interpersonal communication styles................................................................................................3
Recommendations to improving interpersonal communication......................................................4
Social media for internal communication....................................................................................4
Open door policy..........................................................................................................................4
Training........................................................................................................................................5
Leadership that fosters interpersonal communication.................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction to personal and interpersonal communication
Communication forms an essential part of any organization. It is that backbone which holds the
stakeholders of the business together. Any communication that takes place between two or more
people is known as interpersonal communication (Hargie, 2016). Interpersonal communication
within any organization is used for several reasons. Employees have different styles of
interpersonal communication. It is imperative that managers of the organization make effective
communication a priority. This includes not only personal and interpersonal communication but
also formal communication, communication regarding corporate social responsibility and crisis
communication. All these four issues are pressing and need immediate attention for long term
sustainability of ABC Ltd. This report throws light upon the significance of interpersonal
communication, communication styles as well as recommendations to improve the level of
interpersonal communication at ABC Ltd.
Importance of interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication at ABC Ltd. Envelopes the communication that is held between
team members, between mangers and their team members, inter departmental communication,
communication between the organization’s leadership and its employees as well as overall
communication within the organization. ABC Ltd has always put efforts towards establishing a
transparent culture of open communication. Interpersonal communication within the organization
solves several purposes. Leaders use interpersonal communication to motivate employees and
address their grievances in an effective manner (DeKay, 2012). All the employees in the
organization are given specific targets and goals that need to be achieved. Effective
communication among employees and their managers would assist in setting achievable goals
and tracking an employee’s performance in a transparent manner.
Communication within the organization is an important element of the organization’s culture
(Quintanilla & Wahl, 2015). The communication styles and channels adopted by the organization
largely defines the culture of work. A formal flow of communication within the business would
create a culture that is formal. Whereas an informal flow of communication would foster
increased levels of creativity and innovation within the organization. Every organization has

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conflicts which are faced every now and then. Effectiveness of interpersonal communication in
the organization can assist employees in resolving conflicts in a competent manner (Sadia et. al.,
2016).
With the help of growing technology, communication has also become a prerequisite for
effective employee engagement (Young & Hinesly, 2014). Engaging employees within the
business is essential to motivate them and retain them in the business for long. When the
interpersonal communication in the organization is efficient, then it is easier for employees to
trust the organization, raise their concerns, address their grievances, voice their opinions and
participate more by feeling involved in the business. All these factors in turn lead to improved
levels of employee satisfaction.
Given the reasons above, it is important for managers to make effective communication a
priority. When managers work towards focussing on improving the quality of interpersonal
communication by encouraging employees towards open communication, it is then that all the
benefits of interpersonal communication can be realized. These benefits are not limited to
employee satisfaction and retention but also extend to a massive improvement in the overall
organizational culture as well as growth and learning of employees associated with the business.
The next part of the report focuses on the three predominant interpersonal communication styles.
Interpersonal communication styles
Understanding interpersonal communication style is essential in order to establish effective
communication throughout the organization. There are predominantly three styles of
interpersonal communication. This includes assertive, passive and aggressive. Recently, a
passive-aggressive style of communication is also being identified. There are different ways of
dealing with each of these styles. If all the members of ABC Ltd are able to effectively identify
their interpersonal communicating style then it would easier for them to communicate with
others.
It is specifically important for managers to focus on interpersonal communication styles of
individuals. For example, a passive communicator may not be able to effectively handle a team
during a crisis. However, they may be able to efficiently handle customer relationship

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management. On the other hand, assertive members of the team can be great leaders. The
members of the team who are passive aggressive can get the work done. Therefore for effective
communication, it is important for managers to identify communication styles of team members
and thereby offering them opportunities and responsibilities that they would be best suited for.
Recommendations to improving interpersonal communication
ABC Ltd. Values and understands the importance of effective communication within the
business. It is essentially the business communication that takes place interpersonally among
team members and leaders that in reality shapes the organization’s culture. In order to improve
upon interpersonal communication, the following strategies can be adopted.
Social media for internal communication
With the advent of technology, social media is beginning to play an increasingly critical role in
ensuring effectiveness of communication within the organization. Technology has become
largely significant to interpersonal communications taking place in organizations (Law et. al.,
2014). There are several social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter that can be used for
internal communication within the organization. Facebook communities and chatbots are being
created to ensure consistent communication among the organizational stakeholders. Chatbots
ensure that messages can be communicated instantaneously.
Social media is also widely used as a platform to enhance employee engagement levels.
Employees who are actively engaged in organizational communication tend to be more satisfied
with the working environment. Similarly, these platforms can also be used by individual
employees to share their opinions in the form of tweets, posts or blogs. In fact several managers
are also using Social media as a tool to publicly recognize competent employees (Men, 2014).
Such practices also enable high levels of employee motivation. Such practices can also be
adopted by ABC Ltd to for higher level of communication effectiveness.
Open door policy
Open door policy suggests that the leaders of the business leave their doors open in order to
signify that they are available for communication at all times. This encourages employees to

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communicate with the leaders in a free manner without the fear of disturbing them. There are
several issues that employees do not feel very comfortable about discussing. Such policies are an
effort from the organization to encourage employees to communicate with the leaders and senior
members without any inhibitions (Johnson, 2015). Such policies increase the frequency and the
level of interpersonal communication help between the seniors and juniors. Such a practice will
not only have a positive impact on organizational communication but will also lead to increased
trust and improved levels of employee satisfaction.
Training
The most basic and yet important step that an organization can take towards ensuring improved
levels of interpersonal communication is by conducting training sessions. Training sessions
regarding the importance of the communication, different styles of communication and various
channels of communication should be discussed in these training sessions in order to ensure
higher level of interpersonal communication taking place within the organization. Such training
sessions will help employees in improving their communication skills, break their inhibitions and
stereotypes and communicate with each other in a proficient manner. These training sessions
must also throw light on cross-cultural or inter cultural communication in the organization.
Leadership that fosters interpersonal communication
Leadership has a significant role to play in ensuring improved levels of interpersonal
communication. The culture of communication that is being practiced in the organization flows
from top to bottom. It is only the seniors of the organization that can encourage employees to
communicate effectively on an interpersonal level. Leaders must motivate employees and more
importantly be available to communicate with them (Mayfield & Mayfield, 2017). New members
in the team must specifically be motivated to communicate with others in order to understand the
working culture better.
A trusting leadership will also encourage employees to communicate about issues that are
disturbing but very important like workplace harassment or bullying (Men & Stave, 2014).
Opinions of all employees must be welcome. A leader must lead by example and work towards

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creating a culture that fosters openness and transparency of communication throughout the
organization.
Conclusion
Interpersonal communication is the communication that takes place within the organization
involving two or more people. Managers must make effective communication a priority.
Interpersonal communication helps in sharing information, guiding employees, motivating
employees as well as in addressing their grievances and issues faced. There are several styles of
interpersonal communication and it is important that these styles are identified. Interpersonal
communication at ABC Ltd can be improved through consistent training and development of
employees. Most importantly employees must be encouraged to communicate with the team
members as well as seniors.
The leaders of the business must ensure that they create a culture which fosters openness in
communication. Seniors can also adopt an open door policy in order to encourage employees to
communicate with them. Such practices are possible with the support of leaders and therefore it
is the leaders and managers of the organization that must make effective communication taking
place on an interpersonal level a high priority. This will ensure improved levels of employee
engagement, satisfaction, performance and most importantly retention.

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References
DeKay, S.H., 2012. Interpersonal communication in the workplace: A largely unexplored
region. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), pp.449-452.
Hargie, O., 2016. Skilled interpersonal communication: Research, theory and practice.
Routledge. United Kingdom.
Johnson, S.L., 2015. Workplace bullying prevention: a critical discourse analysis. Journal of
advanced nursing, 71(10), pp.2384-2392.
Law, R., Buhalis, D. and Cobanoglu, C., 2014. Progress on information and communication
technologies in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management, 26(5), pp.727-750.
Mayfield, J. and Mayfield, M., 2017. Leadership communication: Reflecting, engaging, and
innovating. International journal of business communication, 54(1), pp.3-11.
Men, L.R., 2014. Strategic internal communication: Transformational leadership, communication
channels, and employee satisfaction. Management Communication Quarterly, 28(2), pp.264-284.
Men, L.R., and Stave, M., 2014. Why leadership matters to internal communication: Linking
transformational leadership, symmetrical communication, and employee outcomes. Journal of
Public Relations Research, 26(3), pp.256-279.
Quintanilla, K.M. and Wahl, S.T., 2015. Business and professional communication: keys for
workplace excellence. Sage Publications. United States.
Sadia, A., Salleh, B.M., Kadir, Z.A. and Sanif, S., 2016. The relationship between organizational
communication and employees productivity with new dimensions of effective communication
flow. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 2(2), pp.93-100.
Young, A.M. and Hinesly, M.D., 2014. Social media use to enhance internal communication:
Course design for business students. Business and Professional Communication
Quarterly, 77(4), pp.426-439.

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