The workplace is a breeding ground for miscommunication. Between emails, meetings, and Slack messages, it seems like most of our day is spent in communication—but how much of that time do we spend not actually communicating? Miscommunication at work is a serious issue.
In this article, RisePath PlanCentral lists down for you the 6 most common reasons why communication at work breaks down (and how to avoid them).
A person’s job title may not align with their responsibilities or experience. This can happen in small businesses where there aren’t enough resources to hire people for every role. Or it can happen when a company moves too quickly in hiring someone to fill a role and that person has to learn as they go.
It’s also common for employees to have multiple roles and titles within one company, especially as different teams and departments grow.
Title inflation, or having a title that doesn’t match your responsibilities, can create confusion both internally and externally. A lack of clarity about everyone’s responsibilities creates ambiguity around communication channels and who should be involved in certain conversations or decisions. This ambiguity can lead to issues like information silos and people contacting each other unnecessarily—or worse, the wrong people being contacted.
To avoid this issue, make sure all employees’ job descriptions reflect their current responsibilities, so people know whom to contact in order to get something done.
Miscommunication can lead to poor decisions, low employee morale and even the demise of your business. As a business owner, you should try to reduce miscommunication as much as possible. Here are six common reasons for miscommunication at work, along with some tips on how to avoid them.
- Assumptions
Assumptions are dangerous and can lead to miscommunication at work. When you assume that everyone is on the same page, you may not follow up or confirm information. This can lead to poor communication and a lack of clarity in your workplace. When this happens, people may feel confused or frustrated when things don’t go as planned.
To avoid making assumptions, ask questions and make sure you understand someone’s meaning before responding. You should also be clear about what is expected of your employees or co-workers. If a project seems like it will take longer than expected or if you need clarification on something, let your manager know right away. This way, they won’t assume that everything is going smoothly when it isn’t.
- The message wasn’t clear
Miscommunication happens when there is a misunderstanding of meaning between sender and receiver. A lack of clarity in the message will often lead to confusion and miscommunication.
To avoid this form of miscommunication, make sure that you are clear with the intended meaning of your message. This may mean creating multiple drafts of an email or taking extra time to review a document before sending it out. It may also involve asking questions to ensure that you understand what your colleagues are trying to tell you.
- Lack of Paying Attention to Body Language
Body language is a form of non-verbal communication that helps to convey how we are feeling, but also how we think others are feeling. It is important to consider body language when communicating with others, as ignoring it can lead to confusion and misunderstanding.
- Not Asking Questions
A lack of communication can be caused by not asking questions. When you don’t understand something or want more information, it is important to ask questions and get clarification. Without doing so, you may end up feeling confused or frustrated because the information wasn’t clear in the first place.
- Weak Listening Skills
Most people think they have good listening skills, but few actually do. There are many distractions that can cause us to miss important information during conversations. If we don’t listen properly, we are unlikely to pick up anything that was said, which can lead to misunderstandings and a lack of communication between ourselves and others.
- You’re not listening
The person who’s speaking is trying to convey something important, and you’re not even listening to what they’re saying. Instead, you’re thinking about what you want to say next — or, worse yet, pondering how dumb their point was and how much better yours will be when it’s your turn to talk.
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