Communication problems on the job - Problem 1 - assuming understanding

Oct 13, 2026

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Workplace communication is examined through five common problems and practical ways to address them, beginning with “assuming understanding.” The material explains how supervisors may fail to achieve shared meaning when they treat communication as one-way sending, and how two-way exchange enables clarification and verification. It also stresses speaking a common language by managing jargon, regional, and generational differences, and cautions against treating inferences as facts by seeking evidence and discussing surrounding details.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Communication problems on the job

Problem1 - assuming understanding

Problem2 - not listening

healthJerviCeshMmonaQer. # Communication problems on the job MARION E.HAYNES Ir you are a ypical supervisor or man-ager,you spend the majority of yourworkday communicating.Some esti-mates go as high as 80 to 90 percent.Most of this time is spent in face-to-facecommunication—talking,listening,ob-serving.There are conversations withyour superior,the employees in yourwork group,the representatives ofother departments on whom you de-pend for supplies and services,salesrepresentatives,patients,visitors,doc-tors,administrators,perhaps evenunion representatives and applicantsfor employment.In these conversationsyou are passing on information,gather-ing information,selling,evaluating, counseling,and building or maintainingmorale.Unfortunately,these goals arenot always achieved.Problems get in theway.Your experience may not be toobad,but most agree there is room forimprovement Let's look at five common communi-cations problems and ways of dealingwith them.Hopefully,this exercise willlead to increased understanding be-tween you and those with whom youcommunicate. ## Problem1-assuming understanding The most common communicationproblem is assuming understandingand,therefore,either not talking aboutsomething or not achieving a commonunderstanding from the discussion. In This Issue Spotlight on: Hospitals:A link to alcoholism treatmen… …4 Taking stock of your institution Conducting a successful survey …… … …6 From the administrator's view Compensation for HMO physicians: Pay policies for staffretention and motivation… …8 What others are doing…………… ………10 Managerial dilemma … ………… ……1 Readers respond… … ……… ……1 There are three ways to avoid this prob-lem. 1.Involve the other person.Many peopleapproach communication as a one-wayprocess.They assume that they havecommunicated when they translate theirideas into words and aim them in thedirection of the other person.They donot take into account the other person'sinterest or ability to understand.Theyforget that effective communication is atwo-way process—the shared experi-ence of two people working together toachieve understanding. Two-way communication permits thereceiver of the message to gain carifica-tion by such questions or statements as,"What do you mean?,"“I don't under-stand,""Could you give me an exam-ple?,"and “Is this what you mean?"Italso allows the sender of the message togain verification that it has been re-ceived as intended.In doing this,suchquestions or statements as the followingare helpful:“What is your understand-ing of what we have been discussing?,"What steps are involved in completingthis task?,"and“What have we eachagreed to do as a result of this discus-sion?" There are trade-offs,of course,withtwo-way communication.For example,it frequently takes longer than the oneway approach.Then,too,it may lead tofrustratior and stress when you realizethat you are not being understood.Butthe increased levels of understanding and confidence that come from two-waycommunication are well worth the timeand effort required. 2.Speak the same language;communica-tion requires the use of a cmmon language.Often it is assumed that words have thesame meaning to both the sender andreceiver.But that isn't always the case.Meaning is gained from words as a re-sult of an individua's experience withthem and the context within which theyare used. There are three problem areas to besensitive to when choosing words—pro-fessional jargon,geographical differ-ences,and generational differences.Let's look at these more closely. —Jargon.All occupational or profes-sional groups develop jargon.This jar-gon facilitates communication within agroup but interferes when communicat-ing with outsiders.Health service pro-fessionals should be particularly awareof jargon when talking to patients,guests,or support staff from otherfields. —Regional differences.Words con-vey different meanings in differentparts of the country.This is most clearly

FAQs

Why is assuming understanding a common workplace communication problem?

Supervisors may treat communication as a one-way process, believing the message is sent when ideas are translated into words. They may overlook the receiver’s interest, ability to understand, and the need for shared understanding.

How does two-way communication help when misunderstanding occurs?

Two-way communication allows the receiver to clarify through questions or statements such as “What do you mean?” or “Could you give me an example?” It also lets the sender verify the message was received as intended.

What is the risk of watching inferences instead of facts?

Inferences are conclusions based on limited data and belong to probability, not certainty. Treating an inference as a fact can distort communication, so discussion should identify the inferences, ask questions, and solicit evidence to confirm or set them aside.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Aditya