The 18 most common communication problems and errors

It is likely that you yourself suffer from at least two of these linguistic mishaps.

The vast majority of conflicts between people (or companies) are found in communication.. Although we all communicate with other people or groups, we don't always do it the right way.

Whether it is with a partner, friends or with the employees of our company, communication errors can arise at any time, so it is important to detect them.

Consequences of poor communication

Communication problems are present in all interpersonal relationships, and if not properly resolved, they can trigger endless battles and bad relationships, for example, with partners or co-workers. Communication involves at least two people, and although this may seem basic, we do not always take it into account.

The importance of communication is such that even psychologists teach their patients social and relational skills, since the origin of conflicts often lies in these competencies. Likewise, a company can see its results reduced by poor relationships between co-workers or by not being able to communicate its employees' needs.

The most frequent communication errors

Now, what are the main mistakes that we humans can make when it comes to communication? What are the most common communication problems? In the following lines I will explain them in detail.

Some basic communication problems

Some problems that can occur in different areas of daily life (in a couple's relationship, among friends, at work, etc.) are the following.

Hearing or listening?

It often happens that we think we are listening to a person and what we are really doing is listening to them.. Hearing and listening are not the same thing. To be able to listen we must use active listening, which not only pays attention to the words a person says, but also to his or her body language and to non-verbal and emotional communication in general.

Active listening improves interpersonal relationships because it improves communication.

• If you want to know more about this concept, you can read our article: "Active listening: the key to communicate with others".

2. Saying what you think without taking others into account

In these situations where active listening is not used, people often say what they have in mind instead of paying full attention to what the other person is saying. This is why active listening is important, because it puts us in the other person's shoes, allows us to understand their true emotions and to capture the message appropriately. This also helps the other person understand that we are interested in what they are saying..

In contrast, there are many situations in which individuals already know what they are going to say even before the other interlocutor has finished speaking, either because they are prejudiced or because they both have a conflict, are on the defensive and want to be right at all costs. In this way, it is impossible for good communication to flow and for constructive debate to take place.

3. To speak or to say?

Whether in written or spoken language, speaking is not the same as saying: the important thing is not to speak or write a lot, but to do so with brevity and precision.. It is not a matter of using a lot of words but of using the right intensity and depth, of communicating something interesting.

4. Lack of confidence

Lack of confidence can cause us not to express appropriately what we want to say and, in many cases, can lead to lack of assertiveness, can lead to a lack of assertivenessThis can lead to a lack of assertiveness, to not being able to express one's opinions correctly, to not setting limits in relationships and, therefore, in the good progress of communication.

5. Lack of credibility

Just as lack of confidence, lack of credibility is also important when communicating with other people, whether with our partner, in a company or when making a speech in public.

Credibility helps to put the other person at ease and, as a result, increases trust and confidence. and, consequently, increases trust between the two of us.

6. Lack of empathy

Empathy is a basic social skill that is necessary to be able to coexist with others. It is closely related to the fact of not expressing only what one thinks, since it allows to understand the other interlocutor and his point of view. It is key to be able to send a clear and precise message.

7. Poor emotional validation

Emotional validation is a concept that is increasingly used by people with high emotional intelligence. It consists of accepting and giving feedback to others not only with words, but also with non-verbal language.

It favors good communication, since the other individual understands that he/she is being understood, recognized and understood, and, consequently, his/her verbalization increases.

8. Poor non-verbal language

We often pay too much attention to words and forget about non-verbal language. According to the results of a research carried out by Albert Mehrabian, the verbal component is 35% and more than 65% is non-verbal communication.. This includes body posture, eye contact or gestures.

This should occur naturally, but in some cases, for example when we are not relaxed, our nonverbal language does not allow us to convey what we are trying to say.

9. Bad verbal language

The tone of voice, i.e. not speaking too loudly or softly, slurring words, or using too many filler terms such as "ah ", "eh" or "um" can cause the message with the interlocutor to lose force. Correct vocalization, good improvisation skills and, in short, saying correctly what we want the other person to hear improves communication.

10. Problems when reading and writing

Good reading and writing skills are extremely important in some contexts.For example, in the digital world: when writing in a blog and getting a company's message to a potential client or when sending an email to a recruiter to seduce him and make him see that we are the best candidates.

Not reading well or writing well clearly affects the comprehension and expression of the message in these contexts.

11. Lack of respect

People are more open to others when they respect us.Respect is a basic communication skill that must be taken into account when communicating effectively. It is just as important as showing credibility. In a couple's relationship, for example, a sign of affection or a nice gesture shows that we respect our loved one and, consequently, improves closeness, trust and communication with that person.

12. Poor persuasion and negotiation skills

Persuasion allows transforming ideas, beliefs, behaviors and attitudes, thus satisfying the needs of both interlocutors, it is key in the business environment, but also in everyday life.

Persuasion is key in negotiation which, in turn, is key in interpersonal relationships. Negotiating and reaching agreements so that the needs of both are, at least in part, covered improves interpersonal relationships and the fluidity of communication between the actors.

Communication skills when speaking in public

Public speaking also requires the mastery of a series of communication skills to captivate the audience. to captivate the audience and keep them entertained and attentive.

The most common mistakes that can occur when speaking in public are:

1. Lack of initial rapport

Rapport is a phenomenon in which two people feel in tune with each other both mentally and emotionally. It is key to bring the person closer and connect with the message, especially when the two people do not know each other, as is often the case in a public talk or presentation. When there is no such connection, there will be no good communication either.

2. Lack of a sense of humor

In a context such as public speaking, one of the best ways to connect with the audience is to make use of a sense of humor.. Thanks to a sense of humor, the listener's attention span and ability to retain information increases.

When the talk or presentation is too serious, it is generally boring and does not help communication to flow.

• We explain this and other benefits in our article: "The 9 benefits of having a sense of humor".

3. Rigidity in the use of body language

When a person feels nervous, which is something that can happen when someone is facing an audience, he or she often expresses that nervousness through body language. Lack of or excessive gesticulation, poor posture, and poor eye contact are some examples..

4. Too much information and too much intellectual content

This can occur especially in oral presentations, when the person making the presentation is not very precise and concise and does not connect emotionally with the audience because the information is too intellectual.

Too much information can become boringIt is a very frequent mistake when the needs and interest of the audience are not taken into account.

5. Stage fright

Stage fright negatively affects communication in several waysin both non-verbal and verbal language. When someone does not have enough self-confidence, the audience will notice it and, therefore, there will not be a good emotional connection with the audience.

6. Inappropriate use of silence

Silence can be a great tool when speaking in public, it is an element of communication in itself, whose value can be equal to that of the word; however, when a person misuses it, it can become a communication tool, However, when a person misuses it, it can become boring and ruin the flow of a talk, conference or oral presentation..