Pitfall #4: Lack of Feedback Loops

Imagine you’re throwing a tennis ball against a wall but never looking to see if it bounces back. Without feedback, that’s exactly what your communication feels like—one-sided, uncertain, and possibly useless. If you’re not getting feedback, you have no clue whether your message has landed or if it’s floating away into oblivion.

Let’s say you instruct your team: “Complete the project outline by Friday.” You don’t hear back and assume all is good. Come Friday, half your team has forgotten or misunderstood the task. Surprise!

How to Fix It:
Proactively seek feedback. Ask, “Does that make sense?” or “Any questions before we proceed?” Invite responses. Encourage dialogue. This way, you catch misunderstandings early rather than discovering them after they’ve exploded into full-blown issues.

Pitfall #5: Poor Listening Skills (a.k.a. the “Huh?” Syndrome)

Ah, listening—everyone thinks they’re great at it, but few truly are. Poor listening is perhaps the sneakiest communication pitfall because it’s easy to pretend you’re engaged when you’re actually daydreaming about lunch or checking your smartphone for the 23rd time.

We’ve all been there: your coworker spends five minutes explaining something, and the only response you can muster is “Wait, what?” Cue the facepalm and sighs from your coworker.

How to Fix It: Become an active listener. Maintain eye contact, nod, take notes, and ask relevant follow-up questions. Even repeating key points back helps (“So what you’re saying is…”). It shows respect, ensures understanding, and dramatically improves the odds of accurate communication.