Bridging The Communication GAP

Writes Louise:

Trevor ended his 31st January entry by asking if we are talking across each other in SA - or misinterpreting what others are communicating?

Based on what happened since then between FNB, the BLSA and Government, Trevor, best you share those Lotto numbers!

The fact of the matter is that we are doing both – we do talk across each other, with the direct result of misinterpreting and misunderstanding.

This is what is called a communication gap. But why do they occur and how can we close or avoid them?

There are 4 main causes of communication gaps. The first is that communication is so fundamental to our very existence, that nobody stops to think about the role it plays when misunderstandings happen.

Secondly, most people assume they are good communicators, so they deny responsibility for problems caused by communication gaps. They put it down to being ‘one of those things’ or that ‘it could have happened to anybody’. Even better, we blame it on somebody else, ‘They should have known’, or ‘They should have asked’.

Thirdly, there are those few people who know they are unskilled communicators, but don’t really care. They aren’t motivated to improve this skill because they probably don’t make the link between how they communicate and why they constantly create confusion.

The final reason is that most people don’t take the time to make an effort to understand each other. Take a conversation between 2 people, what could be more simple? Yet the opportunity for misinterpretation is endless.

So what can we do differently to avoid falling into communication gaps? In a nutshell – don’t make assumptions, clarify, clarify, clarify, take responsibility for how you communicate and balance your needs and goals for communicating with those you are communicating with.

Simple principles that when implemented can help us avoid confusion and misinterpretation. The outcome when we don’t? Just ask FNB, the BLSA and the Presidents Office.

Louise Barnes

Louise Barnes Communications - Strategic Communication to Enable Successful Change

louise.barnes@lbc.co.za - Tel: +27 11 482 4354 - M: +27 73 234 4507

Prescience On FNB Communications Debacle

Writes Trevor:

Wow... I'm wondering if my crystall ball will give me this weekend's Lotto numbers. Seems that my last post had an air of prescience about it, given the FNB communications debacle that broke on Friday.

See:

How FNB was forced to drop Mbeki campaign

Why bank chickened out of crime showdown with Mbeki

Now this is an exciting challenge for a Strategic Communications company... what would you do if you were FNB's CEO and the CEO of our Government? Clearly both are affected... and what about the other 'leaders' in business? What is their complicity in this debacle? Do they also have egg on their faces?

Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - www.innercircleforum.com
trevor@innercircleforum.com