Have you heard of the term “social intelligence”?
Is it what it sounds like? Being relationally smart? Getting along with people?
Let’s find out…
This post is the fifth in a series examining the qualities and skills needed to be an effective communicator. These are qualities and skills that can be learned and improved with practice.
They are discussed in the first edition of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide and as we approach a revision of this book, this series will help begin the process of revisiting and expanding on these fundamentals.
The first post introduced the series by asking the question: What qualities and skills are needed to be an effective communicator?
The second post discussed the importance of being genuinely courteous, gracious, and respectful.
The third post explored the importance of being flexible and teachable.
The fourth post looked at the importance of demonstrating integrity and responsibility.
This post explores the value of strong interpersonal skills, specifically social intelligence.
What are interpersonal skills and how do they relate to being an effective communicator?
Interpersonal skills, often referred to as people skills, are the skills essential to effectively relate to others. They are closely linked to effective communication and various lists of interpersonal skills often include communication skills such as nonverbal communication and active listening.
A helpful acronym to describe interpersonal skills is STAR, which stands for:
Sensitivity – the awareness of individual differences and the ability to treat people according to their needs.
Tolerance – the ability to objectively work with others who hold different beliefs from you.
Assertion – the ability to stand up for what you believe while demonstrating respect for others.
Restraint – the ability to demonstrate self-control regarding what we say or do.
Strong interpersonal skills relate to being an effective communicator because when we seek to understand our audience and meet their needs, we will create open communication, build trust, and create understanding.
Poor interpersonal skills will shut others down and prohibit effective communication.
Exceptional interpersonal skills give you a high level of social intelligence.
What is social intelligence and how does it relate to being an effective communicator?
A helpful description of social intelligence is “the ability to read and properly react to social signals, monitor, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, and fit into a variety of social contexts… Those with highly developed social intelligence can analyze complex social situations, predict other people’s feelings or reactions, have an intuitive feeling on what to say in certain situations, and are self-confident.”
Daniel Goleman, in Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships (2006), describes two constructs involved in social intelligence: social awareness and social facility.
Social awareness requires empathy, being attuned to others, and an accurate understanding of social dynamics.
Social facility includes synchronous nonverbal interactions and the ability to present and express oneself well, all while demonstrating care and concern for others.
When we have strong social intelligence, we are more effective communicators. We are more empathetic, better listeners, more understanding, and better at expressing ourselves.
Want to develop your social intelligence?
Connect with others and engage in meaningful communication.
Be aware of your emotions, body language, and tone of voice.
Practice your listening skills.
Think before speaking.
Check out these related posts:
In next week’s post, we will discuss the qualities that demonstrate professionalism.
"Empathy and social skills are social intelligence, the interpersonal part of emotional intelligence. That’s why they look alike." ~ Daniel Goleman
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