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...There Is a Miscommunication

Lesson 13 from: What to Say When…Tips and Scripts for Tricky Situations at Work

Ilise Benun

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Lesson Info

13. ...There Is a Miscommunication

Lesson Info

...There Is a Miscommunication

What to say when there's a miscommunication. So here's the situation. A rush project is due and your manager gives you the final round of changes verbally. You implement them and when you submit the final version, you're told that what you did was not what was asked for. There was a miscommunication somewhere. So here's what you may be thinking and shouldn't say. "It's not my fault, that's not what you said." Here's a solution. Correct the mistake first, then identify how the miscommunication took place, and propose a solution to prevent it from happening in the future. Here's what you could say. "It looks like we had a miscommunication. "Here's what I heard you say or thought you meant." Then, use curiosity. "Is that what you understood? "How can we come to something fair "to both of us to solve the problem at hand? "And where was the communication breakdown, "so this never happens again?" Or, use humility. "I apologize for not double-checking. "Next time I will double-check "to make ...

sure we're on the same page." Or, humor perhaps in this situation. "Oops, I must have been practicing selective hearing." "Then, for the future, let's agree "to both take the time to put the changes "and the concept in writing. "That will clarify our next steps, "especially when it's a rush. The overarching idea is that, at the risk of annoying someone with what they may think is an obvious question, or at the risk of looking stupid for asking, always double check or confirm in writing that what you heard was indeed what was said, even when you feel sure. And be sure to take responsibility for your part in the miscommunication. That's just good team playing. Make sense?

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