Words are interesting; words can be taken out of contexts so easily. Really words and miscommunication is all too common in our daily lives. I love my wife, but there are days where we both failed to communicate what the other was thinking about, then when we meet up and realize why certain things weren’t done we have to go back and figure it out together and of course laugh about it and work harder to prevent it from happening again (which it does).
Here are five reasons why and how we mess up with words.
1. Texting.
Texting sucks at times. You really, in all honestly, cannot tell if someone is joking, being sarcastic, or straight up mean. So you will have this miscommunication of people getting mad over nothing because they thought the person was blowing them off or the person didn’t when in reality they do care, but it is a text message and there is no tone or facial expression.
2. Two different pages.
Have you ever talked to someone and halfway through you realized that you both are talking about two completely separate topics? This happens far too often, my wife and I tend to do it and laugh once we realize we don’t know what we are talking about anymore. But this is a form of miscommunication where a fight can ensue, a project could fall apart in all kinds of variables, because we fail to realize that we are each not only not on the same page but in completely different books.
3. Tone.
Tone can change everything so easily, if you say something in a certain tone without realizing it then the other person could take it as you're being a jerk or condescending. Sometimes to prove your innocence, you repeat the phrase a few times to prove that that’s just how you talk sometimes. But the tone, when one is talking, changes even simple phrases from no emotion to "oh crap that dude is ticked off".
4. Facial expression.
People that listen with blank stares make those that are talking to them angry because they feel like they really aren’t listening. I have seen this happen a lot where the person really is listening they are just failing to respond. It is like talking to a cardboard box, so the conversation breaks down anger takes over all over miscommunication and understanding.
5. Emotion.
People are quick to anger and or sadness without giving someone a chance to respond, or even clarify their answer or sentence. It kind of goes hand and hand with thinking before speaking; let the person speak and then wait for their response and a chance for them to elaborate on what they said, because sometimes it’s hard to articulate things without thinking out loud.
Just a few reasons here why communication breaks down and fights ensue, how words with different tones can take on different meanings and different results due to the tone. Miscommunication is always going to be part of life, we are humans we are full of errors, miscommunication is actually one of the top five things that occurs within relationships, within the work place and every other aspect life it is part of who we are. What helps is being able to come together later with cool heads, talk it out, and understand where the communication broke down.
