Nothing can be more frustrating than dealing with a person who has poor communication skills. It can be stressful trying to figure out what the person is thinking. Not everyone has the time or patience to decode someone's confusing words or actions. Bad communication is actually quite common. It is hard to be straightforward. It is difficult to say what you're thinking and directly say it to a person's face.
Whether you are able to effectively communicate depends on many factors such as family or friends, your social life, and what type of person you are. I believe good communication goes hand in hand with straightforwardness. If you're generally a passive aggressive person, chances are you are most likely a bad communicator as well.
Good communication is necessary for any sort of relationship you'll have in your life. In order to be a good communicator, you need to realize that some things have to be said. It sounds simple, however, it's actually a hard concept to understand. Some people think that others will assume what they're thinking, therefore, they don't need to explicitly say it. And that is the biggest reason why miscommunication exists: assumptions.
You cannot assume that the other person can read your mind and judge what you want based on your passive actions. Think about how much easier it would be if you just say what's on your mind instead of assuming things and causing more miscommunication.
In a work environment or any sort of group work environment, miscommunication is a big reason conflict occur. One aspect that goes hand in hand with good communication is clarity. In a group, you need to be able to say your opinions. If you're in charge of certain responsibilities for the group, you need to clearly let the group know of any updates and communicate clearly with the group leader or your boss, if there is one.
If you don't say what needs to be said, more miscommunication will occur and it will not only affect you, it will affect the entire group. That is another important thing to know about bad communication skills — it affects everyone involved in the situation, not just you. So basically, if something goes wrong due to one person's miscommunication, the whole group has to face the consequences. Not just that one person, unfortunately.
So to those who have poor communication skills, learn how to be more direct with your feelings and your opinions. Know that it's much easier to directly say it all, rather than cause more conflict due to miscommunication. Being assertive is more than just about having a say in the matter, it's about saying what's on your mind when it is necessary. Trust me when I say it'll save a lot of time and frustration for everyone in the matter.
