Interpersonal communication is the process of sending and receiving information with another person. Communication with this other person can be both verbal and nonverbal.
 
The idea is simple, but the implications are monstrous. It seems so easy to say, “I communicate well with others.” But how do you know? How do you measure your ability to communicate? How do you measure your communication success? Is it your ability to get what you want out of an interaction? Or the number of followers and friends you have on Facebook and Twitter? Google Analytics? How?
 
Let me stick to the basic idea. When you have a ‘personal’ interaction with someone you usually send them messages, both verbally and non verbally. However, non-verbal language accounts for 90% of a total interaction. Cues are given through eye contact, vocal inflection as well as haptic interactions or the act of touching i.e. a high five or hand shake are a big part of any interaction.
 
Each of these cues offer nonverbal messages as to the person’s intentions or feelings. They also cause feelings in the receiver, whether positive or negative.

How much of what we reveal about ourselves in an interaction depends on how much another person is willing to reveal about themselves. When someone opens up to you with a personal secret, you are more likely to respond with something a little more in depth about yourself, right? This give-and-take principle is how we adjust the depth we are willing to dive into a certain topic within an interaction

How does Social Media deal with the non-verbal part of an interaction?
 
Listen more and talk less?

Interpersonal communication is the process of sending and receiving information or more easily described as: communicating with another person. This communication can be verbal or nonverbal.

The idea is simple, but the implications are monstrous. It seems so easy to say, “I communicate well with others.” But how do you know? How do you measure your ability to communicate? Do you measure your communication success in your ability to get what you want out of an interaction?

Let me stick to the basic idea. When you have an interaction with someone you send them messages, both verbally and non verbally. It is scientifically known that non-verbal language accounts for 90% of the total interaction. Cues are given through eye contact, vocal inflection as well as haptic interactions or the act of touching i.e. a high five or hand shake.

Each of these cues offer nonverbal messages as to the person’s intentions or feelings. They also cause feelings in the receiver, whether positive or negative.

In the realm of leadership this idea of ‘sender/receiver’ messages comes into play when communicating with constituents.

I believe that actors make good leaders because of this ability to distinguish motivation within an interaction. Maybe this is the reason Hollywood is so wrapped up in politics? Actors are able to analyze a persons or group’s motivation by listening to the words and watching the non verbal cues as the messages are transmitted within an interaction. Actors are also good at reading personalities.

How much of what we reveal about ourselves in an interaction depends on how much another person is willing to reveal about themselves. When someone opens up to you with a personal secret, you are more likely to respond with something a little more in depth about yourself, right? This give and take principle is how we adjust how deep we are willing to dive into a certain topic within a conversation. Some people simply do not know how to open and close this window from conversation to conversation. These people treat every person they talk with as a best friend. It can get quiet burdensome to those involved in the conversation who often feel obligated to listen and possibly pressured to share personal information about themselves at a faster rate than they are comfortable with.

The lesson: Listen more and talk less