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In case anyone forgot how easy miscommunication is, here’s an example.
I bought something at a store.
“Receipt?” the cashier asked.
“Yup.”
“Okay, bye. Have a great day.”
“Can I get my receipt?”
Yup. I guess my yup sounded like a nope?
Maybe I do pronounce my yeses in a no kind of way. Who knows.
But it’s a good reminder of how easy miscommunication is. People mishear things, some mumble, and maybe we were thinking about something else while they were talking.
Think about much more complicated discussions. Mis-communications will happen. Guaranteed! But to be innovative, get stuff done and keep a good mindset, we must figure out how to overcome miscommunication.
Read next: Internal communication strategies that actually work
How to overcome miscommunication
Just work through them sounds overly simple, but there are some ways to make sure miscommunications aren’t happening:
- Watch reactions. Do they align with the discussion?
- When somebody seems unsure, ask: “Would you like me to review it again?”
- Ask people to explain their understanding. Just make sure you don’t come across as a bossy person in this approach. Be helpful. Not bossy.
Consider controlling your reaction. Sometimes, miscommunication can lead to negative reactions or maybe even overreactions. Control your breathing, keep a cool head and try to understand what’s going on in the moment.
That’s easier said than done, but the key to avoiding miscommunication is to listen, hear, ask for clarification and understand what’s being said within the context of the conversation.
Uncorrected miscommunications have us live and remember the wrong experience. The problem is they will be our actual stories. Be sure to catch miscommunications and correct them collaboratively.