{"id":73895,"date":"2022-07-26T17:57:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T21:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=73895"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:25:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T21:25:34","slug":"the-importance-of-interpersonal-skills-in-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-interpersonal-skills-in-business\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Interpersonal Skills in Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you winsome at work? Are people drawn to you and your ideas? Do you have presence and influence?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Startup success hinges on your ability to win over others. That’s the view of entrepreneurs Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba, authors of The Unfair Advantage<\/em>. They discuss how you can determine whether interpersonal skills are your unfair advantage, and they provide tips on how to improve these skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading to learn about the importance of interpersonal skills in business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Unfair Advantage #4: Interpersonal Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interpersonal skills are your ability to relate to\u2014and persuade\u2014potential customers, employees, and investors<\/strong>. Ali and Kubba discuss the importance of interpersonal skills in business, asserting that excellent interpersonal skills give you a huge advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Research supports Ali and Kubba\u2019s claim that interpersonal skills are valuable when launching a startup. Data shows that 85% of financial success comes from the ability to communicate effectively with others<\/a>, whereas only 15% comes from technical skills or knowledge.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali and Kubba say that everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses when it comes to relating to others. The key is to accentuate your strengths and accommodate for your weaknesses<\/strong>. For example, if you\u2019re more introverted, you might need to make a purposeful effort to put yourself in situations where you\u2019ll meet new people. Alternatively, you can partner with someone who\u2019s naturally extroverted, an approach we\u2019ll discuss more later in the guide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Although introverts may benefit by tapping into the skills that come more naturally to extroverts, they don\u2019t necessarily need to transform themselves into someone they\u2019re not to achieve success. While startup founders are often portrayed as hard-charging, outgoing extroverts, research shows that roughly four in 10 top executives identify as introverts<\/a>, including Google CEO Larry Page and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Introverts tend to foster a better team environment than extroverts and are better listeners, a major asset for effective leadership.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Know If Interpersonal Skills Are Your Unfair Advantage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How can you tell if interpersonal skills are one of your unfair advantages? Evaluate how easy it is for you to connect with people<\/a><\/strong>. Do you intuitively adjust your communication style to match others\u2019 moods and personalities, or do you consistently \u201crub people the wrong way\u201d? If you\u2019re unsure about your skills in this area, Ali and Kubba recommend asking your friends and family for input.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: To expand your insight into the strength of your interpersonal skills, you may consider the approach Olivia Fox Cabane suggests in The Charisma Myth<\/em><\/a>: assessing your presence, power, and warmth.<\/a> Do you give others your full attention when talking to them? If so, you have presence. Do you appear confident, secure, and assertive in getting what you want? If so, you have power. Do others feel that you genuinely care about their well-being? If so, you have warmth. According to Cabane, these three characteristics determine how likable and persuasive you are to others.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Improve Your Interpersonal Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to develop your interpersonal skills, consider the following action steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n