Under-communication is a consistent problem in nearly every business. You can solve that by taking ownership of the communication happening around you.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve worked with more than my share of poor communicators over the years. One was a boss who rarely shared information and never in a timely way. My office happened to be in a different building than his, so getting to our weekly one-on-one meeting took a little effort. Each week, I prepared a status report on my major projects, developed a list of answers I needed to make progress, and drove to his office in time for the meeting.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t tell you how many times I was greeted by his assistant with a pained expression. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d she\u2019d say. \u201cHe had to step out.\u201d Not only did he cancel most of our meetings, but he did so without notice.<\/p>\n
When we did meet, he provided little or no clarity. And he dodged most of my questions with \u201cI\u2019ll have to get back to you on that.\u201d It was maddening!<\/p>\n
Most under-communication is inadvertent. People are simply unaware of the gap between what\u2019s in their mind and what\u2019s in yours, and you suffer from that same lack of awareness. In fact, a team of researchers writing in the Journal of Political Economy labeled this phenomenon \u201cthe curse of knowledge.\u201d It means that when you know something, it\u2019s very hard to remember that other people don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, the solution is remarkably simple. All you have to do is step up and take responsibility for all the communication that comes from you or to you. Here\u2019s how.<\/p>\n
Most of us are not fully aware of our own part in the communication quagmire. We may expect others to do all the work of conveying information. The first step in communicating clearly is to determine to be the solution, not the problem. Are you ready to champion clear communication in your workplace?<\/p>\n
The curse of knowledge affects everyone, including you. As a result, we don\u2019t communicate or don\u2019t communicate enough.
\nBe aware of the gap between your understanding and that of your team. Stop assuming that people know what\u2019s important or what needs to be done. Get your thoughts out of your head where others can read or hear them.<\/p>\n
Before you compose your message (or say it out loud), ask yourself, \u201cHow can I set the other person up for success?\u201d Before you hit send, reread the communication to be sure it\u2019s clear. Would you know exactly what you meant? Clarity is vital for communication.<\/p>\n
Sometimes that will mean pushing others for clarity. Remember, they also suffer from the curse of knowledge and may have a tendency to omit information or use ambiguous language. Gently ask them to make their meaning clear.<\/p>\n
Communication hasn\u2019t really happened until the other person not only receives your words but also understands them. You can request a \u201cread receipt\u201d when you send a message, but you also need to get an \u201cunderstand receipt.\u201d You can do that with questions like \u201cIs anything unclear about that?\u201d or \u201cWhat do you understand based on what I\u2019ve said?\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t