For something that should be as easy as breathing, good communication is difficult.
Not only do we have to make sure that the person we are communicating with has all the important details, we also have to make sure they heard it the way we intended, they picked up on our urgency, they picked up on all the things we did not or forgot to say, and so on…
As humans, we fill in any blanks ourselves, more often with assumptions that are incorrect (and you know what happens when you ass/u/me…). Then, when you add in how busy and rushed we normally are, it’s no wonder we make so many communication mistakes.
No matter how good you think you are, let’s all focus on being a better communicator:
Take a breath, slow down, don’t rush.
Don’t be distracted – focus on the communication and topic in front of you. Quick changes in topics can be confusing.
Be simple, concise and thorough. You can write down notes beforehand to help you with this.
Remove all assumptions – If you are the communicator, ask to see if people got the important parts of what you said. If you are being communicated to, ask for the person to fill in any blanks to make sure you understand. Don’t assume!
“Good communication does not mean that you have to speak in perfectly formed sentences and paragraphs. It isn’t about slickness. Simple and clear go a long way.” – John Kotter
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw
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