Free Essay Sample on Improving Interpersonal Communication

The process of transmitting and processing information appears to be simple yet factors such as information processing, judgment, and skills, among others, often hinder communication. Rarely do individuals consider themselves poor communicators for lack of an understanding of the rules governing effective communication. Interpersonal communication is mostly affected since people overlook the fundamental factors that influence these including non-verbal cues (Mehrabian 134). The nature of communication between two people in a relationship largely determines its success. It is attributed to the fact that this is the only way to express one's thoughts, feelings, and needs to their partner to fortify the relationship. As such, effective interpersonal communication in such a setting cannot be overlooked if a couple needs to remain emotionally connected. This paper focuses on interpersonal communication as applies to relationships among couples. It highlights the possible determents to effective communication in this setting and gives possible solutions.

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I have a challenge in relaying feedback in my interpersonal communication. It is the last stage of communication whose vitality cannot be neglected yet it is often overlooked (Georgievska 54). It is as though I expect the other party to assume that I have understood the information that they are relaying hence I rarely see the need to respond either positively or negatively. I seek clarification to avoid any misunderstanding, but it ends there. However, I rarely give feedback to the sender, and this has often jeopardized my relationships. For instance, I was once asked out on a lunch date set for Friday. I responded in the affirmative and sought clarification as to the choice of day to which there was retaliation. Unfortunately, I did not offer further feedback following the interpretation, and I found myself alone at the venue that Friday. It turned out that the other party waited for a confirmation that Friday was ideal as opposed to any other day and when such was not forthcoming they assumed that I was against the set date. I was as annoyed as my partner, and this cost us the relationship. Understandably, without feedback, the sender has no way of knowing that their message was received and their point understood as it was intended. The sender, therefore, is at liberty of making assumptions and conclusions that may either be right or wrong at the expense of the recipient. These assumptions contribute to ineffective interpersonal communication besides sabotaging relationships.

Importantly, interpersonal communication, like any other skill, is learned over time. One needs to be willing to learn about the process so that the person becomes a good communicator (Hargie 18). Any form of rigidity impedes the development of essential communication skills. The Argyle's theory of communication; otherwise called the communication cycle posits that interpersonal communication is a cycle that is repeated continuously to enable the sharpening of skills. This cycle comprises essential sections to make it complete including the occurrence of an idea, formulation of a message, sending, receiving, and decoding the message, and giving feedback. Further, the communication cycle theory stresses the importance of both the sender and the recipient in achieving effective communication. If either of the parties fails in their role, it is impossible to achieve desirable results. Paul Watzlawick's interactional view on communication supports the Argyle's theory of communication. Particularly, Watzlawick indicates that it is impossible for one not to communicate (Watzlawick and Weakland 12). It means the lack of feedback from a recipient is in itself a message to the sender; in which case the doors to miscommunication are opened wide.

Argyle's theory informs me of my reluctance to step out of my comfort zone on matters related to communication. I have categorized myself as a perfect communicator based on other factors such as my keenness on body language and non-verbal cues. I fail to realize that I need to learn about the effects of a breakdown in communication as is my case since I do not get to the final stage of the cycle. Further, Watzlawick's axiom explains my stance that I do not find it necessary to give feedback since I expect the sender to conclude that I have understood their message. My silence, however, makes it impossible for the sender to determine whether the signal was decoded as it was intended.

I endeavor to sharpen my interpersonal communication skills inherently fortifying my relationships. I can do this by ensuring that my messages are clearly stated regardless of my role as a sender or a recipient; as emphasized by Argyle's theory of communication. Also, it is paramount that I am time-conscious when relaying feedback. Finally, I should be able to identify any causes of misunderstanding and work towards managing these. My inability to give feedback was a significant source of dispute, and I intend to eliminate this problem.

Conclusively, effective communication is a skill that is developed and sharpened over time. Effective interpersonal communication between couples ensures emotional connectedness inherently leading to a successful relationship. Importantly, all the stages in the communication process should be observed as stipulated by Argyles. The relaying of feedback is the last step in the communication cycle, and when it is overlooked, it results in miscommunication. According to Watzlawick, one cannot fail to communicate, and the lack of feedback still sends a message to the sender. Steps such as clearly stating one's message, providing timely feedback, and identifying sources of misunderstanding enable effective interpersonal communication. It is not in vain to sharpen interpersonal communication as this is essential to problem-solving as well as dissemination of valuable information.

Works Cited

Georgievska, Ana. "Communication, the importance of feedback and a study research on the rating of the two courses "advanced life support" and "emotional management in the areas of emergency"." EUT Edizioni Universita di Trieste, 2011.

Hargie, Owen. Skilled interpersonal communication: Research, theory and practice. Routledge, 2016.

Mehrabian, Albert. Nonverbal communication. Routledge, 2017.

Watzlawick, Paul, and John H. Weakland, eds. The interactional view. Vol. 252. New York: Norton, 1977.