One of the fundamentals of communication we sometimes miss is verifying if the message we sent was received correctly.
How often do you send a text, email, or even have a phone or in-person conversation and assume that the message you delivered was understood in the way you intended? We fall into a trap of believing a conversation that made sense in my mind made sense in someone else’s.
To be clear, I am not talking about obsessively texting your friend to ask if they got your text. I’m talking about walking away from a conversation where both parties agreed, but were still on two different pages.
Our assumptions prevent effective communication. The reverse is also true in assuming that I understood the message I just received. By not verifying that I understood correctly, I run the risk of moving forward with poor information.
The antidote? Verify the message! Ask if you understood correctly. Or, ask for the message you sent to be repeated back. It takes extra time. It may even sound a bit silly. But how much time and energy will be saved by not having to go back and correct the errors created from miscommunication? – www.rhoadscoaching.com
finding meaning and purpose in daily life