Every day, each person in the world communicates. From infants to the elderly – everyone is communicating in one way or another. Communication is a process that is both expressive (sender) and receptive (recipient). It can be accomplished through different mediums and is not limited to only human interaction.
Aside from consciously or purposely sending out messages, communication can also be done unconsciously. A good example of this is people who are running or using the stairs – it sends out a message that they are in a hurry.
Communication is an integral part of our lives – it influences our way of thinking, learning, and understanding of people and things. However, it is also important to remember that the way we communicate also affects other people’s perceptions and understanding of us.
Communication is basically defined as exchanging information. It involves two entities (a sender and a receiver). Unfortunately, “successfully” is not part of the equation. This is why even though all people communicate in different forms, some are not doing it correctly. Additionally, when messages are transmitted unconsciously, it can be perceived erroneously.
If the information is NOT transmitted or received on how it was intended – then it will result in miscommunication or failed communication. There are plenty of probable causes for this failure. Some possible reasons include the sender choosing the incorrect medium to transmit the information, the communication channel was broken, or the message was sent to the wrong person. The fault may also lie on the recipient’s side – they refused to communicate or listen, lack of attention, insufficient knowledge on the subject of information, gathering or reacting to information that is clearly not intended for them, etc…
Miscommunication may happen at home, at the workplace, in a relationship, and in social circles. Although communication barriers for one area may be different for the other, one thing is certain – miscommunication leads to misunderstanding. Sadly, this misunderstanding may possibly lead to conflict and argument.
Some say that proper or effective communication is a skill. Yes, this is true – but there are also some simple rules to remember and guidelines to follow that work in many aspects of communication. Below are some basic communication skills that can be practiced to avoid miscommunication:
