Soft Skills: Develop Interpersonal Skills from edX

The most essential skills needed to be successful in your professional life is being able to effectively communicate and interact with the people you work with. These are called interpersonal skills. Being able to talk with your co-workers in a way that establishes respect and eminence is an incredibly important ability to have in the workplace.

This short, self-paced course will teach you the skills you need in order to communicate and interact with people in a way that shows confidence and gives them a sense of trust. In this course you will learn skills such as asserting your influence, different communication styles, listening skills, and more!

No matter where you work, conflicts are something that will naturally arise, and after taking this course you will be able to recognize and apply the interpersonal skills you need in order to resolve them. The skills offered in this course are foundational soft skills to have, and will take you one step closer to professional success.

This short course can be taken by anyone who wants to learn, no matter how much experience you have. Whether you are taking this course as a career starter or skill refresher, this course is for everyone!

This course is part of the People and Power Skills Professional Certificate from IBM, that consists of a series of short courses to help you develop essential soft skills for success in the workplace.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Analyze different communication styles as well as their strengths and weaknesses and when they are appropriate to use
Build and maintain trust with your co-workers and increase your influence and eminence in the workplace

Identify ways to approach and mediate workplace conflicts
Demonstrate active listening skills to enhance your understanding of workplace issues

Analyze different communication styles as well as their strengths and weaknesses and when they are appropriate to use
Build and maintain trust with your co-workers and increase your influence and eminence in the workplace
Identify ways to approach and mediate workplace conflicts
Demonstrate active listening skills to enhance your understanding of workplace issues

Syllabus

The course is composed of the following lessons:

- Interpersonal skills: An overview

- About the course

- Topic 1: What is my communication style?

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores interpersonal skills, which are crucial for professional success

Provides practical guidance on communication styles, conflict resolution, and building trust

Suitable for anyone looking to enhance their professional communication skills

Developed by Skills Network, known for its expertise in soft skills training

Taught through interactive lessons and diverse media, promoting engagement and retention

Requires no prior experience, making it accessible to learners with varying backgrounds

Reviews summary

Practical soft skills for workplace success

According to learners, this course is a concise and highly practical resource for developing essential soft skills. Many praise its to-the-point lessons and clear explanations, making it ideal for busy professionals seeking a foundational understanding or a quick refresher. Students highlight the course's effectiveness in teaching communication styles, active listening, assertiveness, and conflict resolution strategies that are immediately applicable in the workplace. While the majority find it very valuable, a minority of reviewers, especially those with prior experience, find the content basic or note it lacks deeper psychological aspects.

Helps build confidence in professional interactions and self-expression.

"After taking this course, I feel much more confident in my ability to assert myself respectfully."

"It definitely helped build my confidence in communicating more effectively at work."

"I appreciated the guidance on how to speak with more conviction and trust."

Appreciated for its short, focused, and well-structured modules.

"I really liked how short and to the point the lessons were, making it easy to fit into my schedule."

"The content is very concise and well-explained, getting straight to the core concepts without fluff."

"It's a great course if you're looking for an effective overview that isn't overly time-consuming."

Strengthens understanding of communication styles and conflict resolution.

"The section on different communication styles was incredibly insightful for me."

"I now feel much more equipped to approach and resolve workplace conflicts effectively."

"Learning about active listening and assertiveness has significantly improved my interactions."

Provides immediately applicable strategies for professional interactions.

"The course gave me practical tools and strategies that I could immediately apply in my workplace."

"I found the techniques discussed very practical and easy to implement in real-life situations."

"It offered concrete advice on improving communication and handling workplace conflicts effectively."

Ideal for beginners or refreshers, but too basic for advanced learners.

"I found some of the material to be extremely basic and more like common sense than new learning."

"While a good introduction, I wished it had gone into more depth on certain topics."

"If you're already familiar with soft skills, this course might be too elementary for you."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Soft Skills: Develop Interpersonal Skills with these activities:

Read book on communication

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Review the basics of communication, with a focus on interpersonal communication.

View Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When... on Amazon

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Read the first three chapters
Take notes on the key concepts
Summarize the main points of each chapter

Find communication skills websites

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Seek out resources that strengthen understanding of communication skills.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Search online
Read articles and watch videos
Take notes on what you learn

Join a study group

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Collaborate with peers to engage with course material in a meaningful way.

Browse courses on Interpersonal Skills

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Find a study group
Attend study group meetings
Participate in discussions
Help other students

Six other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all nine activities

Practice active listening

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Practice active listening to improve communication and interpersonal skills.

Browse courses on Listening Skills

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Find a partner
Take turns talking and listening
Summarize what the other person said

Role-play workplace communication skills

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Practice communication skills in a simulated work environment.

Browse courses on Interpersonal Skills

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Find a partner
Choose a scenario
Role-play the scenario
Debrief after the role-play

Create a communication skills resources list

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Gather and organize useful resources to enhance learning.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Search for resources online
Organize the resources by topic
Share the list with others

Write a blog post about communication skills

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Demonstrate what has been learned by creating something new.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Choose a topic
Research the topic
Write your post
Promote your post on social media

Volunteer at a local organization

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Gain practical experience in communication and interpersonal skills.

Browse courses on Interpersonal Skills

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Find a local organization to volunteer with
Contact the organization and express your interest
Attend a volunteer orientation
Start volunteering

Create a communication skills portfolio

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Reflect on and evaluate learning in this course.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Gather your materials
Organize your materials
Write a reflection on your learning

Career center

Learners who complete Soft Skills: Develop Interpersonal Skills will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Mediator

Mediators help people resolve conflict. They work with a variety of parties, including individuals, businesses, and governments. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as mediators need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help mediators develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mediator

Negotiator

Negotiators help people reach agreements. They work with a variety of parties, including individuals, businesses, and governments. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as negotiators need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help mediators develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Negotiator

Social Worker

Social Workers help people navigate problems that are rooted in societal structures and interpersonal relationships. They may work with individuals, families, groups, or entire communities. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as social workers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help social workers develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

Counselor

Counselors help people with mental health issues. They work with a variety of clients, including individuals, families, and groups. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as counselors need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help counselors develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Counselor

Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of human resources within an organization. This includes recruiting, hiring, training, and developing employees. This course is especially relevant to this role because HR professionals are often responsible for mediating workplace conflict. Additionally, this course can help HR professionals sharpen their communication and influencing skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Teacher

Teachers are responsible for educating students. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including students, parents, and administrators. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as teachers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help teachers develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Customer Service Manager

Customer Service Managers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of customer service within an organization. This includes developing and implementing customer service policies and procedures, and training and developing customer service representatives. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as customer service managers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help customer service managers develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Service Manager

Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the operations of nonprofit organizations. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and the community. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as nonprofit managers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help nonprofit managers develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Manager

Healthcare Administrator

Healthcare Administrators are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the operations of healthcare facilities. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including patients, families, staff, and physicians. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as healthcare administrators need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help healthcare administrators develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Administrator

Public relations manager

Public Relations Managers are responsible for managing the public image of an organization. This includes developing and executing public relations campaigns, as well as responding to media inquiries. A background in communications is often expected in this field. To improve your chances of success, take courses that teach you about interpersonal skills and effective communication. This course can help you build your influence and become a better communicator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including clients, team members, and vendors. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as project managers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help project managers develop the skills they need to be successful.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including clients, customers, and the media. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as marketing managers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help marketing managers develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for leading and motivating a team of sales representatives. They develop and implement sales strategies, and track and measure sales performance. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as sales managers need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help sales managers develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Event Planner

Event Planners are responsible for planning and executing events. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including clients, vendors, and attendees. Interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role, as event planners need to be able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and resolve conflict. This course can help event planners develop the skills they need to be successful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Event Planner

Communication Specialist

Communication Specialists are responsible for planning, developing, and executing communication strategies. These strategies can be both internal and external, and aim to enhance the organization's brand and reputation. Those who excel in this role and want to take their career to the next level build a foundation by taking courses in interpersonal skills. This course, specifically, can help Communication Specialists increase their influence, mediate conflict, and become better communicators, all of which contribute to success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Communication Specialist