At a workshop on communicating effectively, the trainer handed out a list of Power Points in Listening. Although each point was relevant, two stood out as being the most significant: (1) You cannot not communicate, and (2) Whenever contact is made, communication occurs.

These statements clarify that communicating intent involves more than just conveying words.

Even when words are transferred from one person to another, the intention may not be fully understood by either. Studies on listening have shown that even when a message is perceived, 70 to 90 percent of it is lost or changed in the transmission.

What’s involved in communicating intent? On an individual level, it requires that you say what you mean and mean what you say. On the organizational level, listeners must confirm that what was said aligns with what was meant.

High performers have no trouble realizing when management’s intentions are not clear. They know because they sense a lack of perspective, understanding, and acceptance. When this occurs, they tap into reliable sources before taking action. Underperformers also sense that something isn’t right, but instead of searching for clarification they don’t do anything for fear of making a mistake.

There is little trust in a dysfunctional workplace. Employees are usually forced to work together before they learn to trust one another. E-mail has reduced the amount of face-to-face communication between coworkers, making the development of trust even less likely.

Why? Many managers rely on e-mail or other memorandum formats to assure them of communicating the same message to all recipients. Dysfunctional employees prefer this, because they find this level of communication less threatening than a typical meeting. But e-mail increases the likelihood of misunderstanding because they are subject to misperception.

Without a truthful dialogue, non-verbal communications are subject to individual interpretation and thus are primary sources of ambiguity and inconsistency. Remember, in a dysfunctional system, it is difficult to clarify your intention unless your verbal and nonverbal communications are aligned.