Elizabeth Openshaw 
They make up your inner world, but are you making the most of your intrapersonal skills?
We've all heard of interpersonal skills and how you can use them to your benefit within the workplace, but what are intrapersonal skills? While interpersonal means between you and others, intrapersonal is within yourself, with “intra” meaning “on the inside; within.”
It's all about being aware of our strengths, our weaknesses, and the impact we have on others through our actions and ideas, including how we build positive working relationships. These traits help you to manage your emotions as well as cope with any challenges or obstacles that come your way.
Examples of intrapersonal skills
Our brains are fascinating entities and how we use them can make such a difference to how we live our lives and interact with othe1rs. If you're aware of your own skills, you can use them to your, and others', advantage, so check out the information below on examples of intrapersonal skills.
Inner confidence
You've probably come across those types of colleagues who seem to brim with confidence, no matter what the situation. But do they possess real inner confidence? People with genuine inner confidence have that quiet self belief that comes with being comfortable in their own skin, with a true sense of who they are and what they stand for.
Self awareness
The ability to perceive and understand what makes you you, including your values, personality, and beliefs.
Control of emotions
This is especially relevant in a work situation. You want to project passion, but you also need to curtail over-emotional responses as they can cloud your judgement.
Self esteem
Similar to self confidence, self esteem is a belief in your own ability and the value you can add to any given situation.
Being open to change
Being flexible and accommodating in a team environment leads to a more open-minded approach, especially when you have the strength of character to admit when you're wrong.
Resilience
Being able to recover quickly from setbacks, and learn from them, is vital in many workplace scenarios.
Resourcefulness
Focusing on how to optimise what you have will inspire creativity and help you to generate innovative ideas.
What's the difference between intrapersonal skills and interpersonal skills?
As previously touched upon, interpersonal skills are those we use to interact and communicate with others, such as reflective listening, working productively within a team, and collaboration. On the other hand, we all possess intrapersonal skills relating to that inner self and how we perceive our own self worth.
To succeed at most things, it's vital to concentrate on both aspects as they make up the whole of you, at both a professional and a personal level.
Ways to improve your intrapersonal skills
For the lucky ones, a high standard of intrapersonal skills comes naturally. But if it doesn't, there are ways in which to improve and sharpen those skills. Even though intrapersonal skills are all about self-perception and how you see yourself, you can start improving them by asking others how they perceive you!
Having an honest conversation with a work colleague might throw up some difficult things to hear, but it can be beneficial as it could be the start of improved self perception and a whole new way of approaching tasks.
Being kind to yourself is crucial to wellbeing, so don't beat yourself up about small failures - we all make mistakes - but focus on the things you're doing well.
Goal setting can really help to focus the mind. Start with small, easily attainable goals, so that each time you achieve one you'll be motivated to drive forward for the next.
Develop healthy habits by taking time out every day to concentrate on achieving your goals. It takes roughly two months for healthy habits to form, so stick with it and see what you can achieve.
Keeping an emotion diary, that tracks your feelings, thoughts, and emotions, can establish a growth path of where you started and how far you've come.
Improve time management by prioritising tasks and setting a schedule of when to do each one. However, don't fall into the trap of doing all the more enjoyable tasks first! It's best to tackle the more complex ones earlier on, interspersed with easier ones.
Incorporating intrapersonal skills into your CV
Including intrapersonal skills in your CV can elevate the document to a new level. Within the professional summary of your CV, use words such as “confident,” “resourceful,” and “resilient” to make an impact.
Underneath, create a section called “Key Skills” or “Skills Matrix.” Here, you can list key words and phrases, such as “change management,” that really stand out, so that the recruiter or hiring manager can immediately see your strengths.
You can also weave your intrapersonal assets throughout the career summary, while relating them to your responsibilities and achievements.
The information you need to include in your CV or as part of a job application can be so overwhelming that it's difficult to know where to start. Turn to the professionals at TopCV by taking the first step of having a free CV review that will set you on the path to success.
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