Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others offers students a uniquely Canadian perspective on the importance of focusing on others in a variety of interpersonal relationships and contexts. The importance of being other-oriented was the foundation of the first seven Canadian editions of Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others, and it continues as the central theme of the eighth Canadian edition. Becoming other-oriented is not a single skill but rather a collection of skills and principles designed to increase your sensitivity to and understanding of others. Being other-oriented doesn’t mean you abandon your own thoughts, ignore your feelings, and change your behaviour only to please others; that would not only be unethical, it would also be an ineffective approach to developing genuine, honest relationships with others. An other-oriented person is selfaware as well as aware of others. True empathy, emotional intelligence, and sensitivity are possible only when we feel secure about our own identities.