How miscommunication happens and how to avoid it #5

We all have once experienced miscommunication which sometimes can lead to confusion and misunderstanding.  Communication can indeed be extremely complex, even when it occurs among people that are in the same room and using the same language. Many researchers have studied what happens when we communicate and therefore have developed two models:

The transmission model which views communication as a message that moves directly from one person to another. This model in reality could not account for the complexity of communication and therefore The transactional model was developed. This model sees communication between people as a “game of catch”; as we communicate our message we receive feedback from the other participant and through this transaction we create meaning which depends on the people´s experience, age, race, gender and family background among others. All these factors can create misunderstanding which might be even more significant if more than two people participate in the exchange and each of them bring their own subjectivity to the conversation.

According to researchers there are simple rules to avoid misunderstanding:

1-      To recognize that active hearing and active listening are not the same. A person might be hearing someone without necessarily be listening to him/her.

2-      To listen with your eyes and ears as well as with your instinct; communication is more than merely words.

3-      To take time to understand as you try to be understood; to be open to what the other person might say.

4-       To be aware of your personal perceptual filters. Elements of your experience influence on how you see the world. Do not assume that your perception is the absolute truth.