Misunderstood

Decorative Wave

Your co-worker’s email read: “See you tomorrow.”

You naturally assumed you would see them at the meeting. It was going to involve a critical discussion.

So, when they went MIA and were nowhere to be found, you panicked.

Turns out, your colleague was at the meeting. Virtually.

We all make assumptions. And sometimes we read between the lines. The result: misunderstood texts, misread emails, and miscommunicated voice mails or phone conversations. Some might say that silence is “golden,” but it can often be misinterpreted as well. Playing a guessing game about what another person means can have disastrous consequences.

Communications experts spend entire careers assisting clients with meaningful messaging which gets results. It’s crucial to ensure that every word is understood and there is no room left for interpretation.

In the professional world, it’s on us to be clear. Make certain that the information received is the information you intended to share.

Categories: Consequence