There’s a quote, often attributed to George Bernard Shaw, that has cropped up in conversation a few times lately:

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

It’s one of those statements that sounds obvious when you first hear it, but the more you think about it, the more relevant it becomes, particularly in the workplace.

The crux of the quote is that we shouldn’t assume a message has been successfully transferred simply because we have delivered it.

And we’re not just talking about emails or WhatsApp messages where a read receipt or a reassuring pair of blue ticks tells us that our message has officially “landed”. Communication can be spoken, written or typed. The important question isn’t whether somebody has received the message. It’s whether they have properly understood it; including its purpose and what is expected to happen as a result.

In business, that distinction matters enormously.

Getting the right message across to our teams is fundamental to efficient and effective productivity. It’s why, at HR Champions, we deliver Effective Communication as a stand-alone training course, but also thread communication skills throughout virtually all of our leadership and management training.

Because poor communication costs.

At the relatively harmless end of the scale, an ambiguous instruction might simply result in somebody coming back for clarification. That takes additional time and causes delay. At the other end, misunderstood instructions can result in costly mistakes, missed deadlines, incorrect processes being followed, dissatisfied customers or work having to be done all over again.

There’s another consideration. What happens when an employee hasn’t understood an instruction but doesn’t feel comfortable saying so?

Perhaps they don’t want to look stupid. Maybe they think they should understand. Or perhaps their manager has developed a reputation for being impatient or intolerant of questions.

So, rather than ask for clarification, they nod, say “OK” and go away to do what they think they’ve been asked to do.

That’s the illusion Shaw’s quote describes perfectly. The manager thinks communication has taken place. The employee knows a conversation has taken place. But whether genuine communication has happened is another matter entirely.

The responsibility therefore sits heavily with the person delivering the message, most commonly the manager or senior team member, to make sure it has been correctly received and understood. Asking someone to explain back what they’re going to do, encouraging questions and creating an environment where seeking clarification is welcomed can prevent a great many problems.

“That's not what I meant” is rarely much consolation after something has gone wrong.

We see another side of this issue in bullying and harassment cases. What someone intended by a comment isn't necessarily how it was received. Jokes, banter and throw-away remarks can land very differently from how the person delivering them expected or meant.

That doesn’t mean workplaces need to become humourless environments where everyone is terrified of saying anything. But it does mean managers need to understand their audience, recognise individual differences and appreciate that effective communication is a two-way process.

And communication itself continues to evolve.

Email changed workplace communication. Then came instant messaging, social media, Teams, Zoom and WhatsApp. Now AI is increasingly influencing how we compose and consume information. At the same time, new generations continue to enter the workforce with different communication habits, expectations and preferences.

Managers and leaders need to keep up.

Good communication isn't simply about being articulate or sending clear emails. It’s about listening, questioning, adapting your style, understanding your audience and, crucially, checking that what was understood was actually what you intended.

Because communication isn't complete when the message is sent. It’s complete when the message is understood.

At HR Champions, effective communication underpins our entire suite of leadership and management training because better communicators make better managers; reducing mistakes, improving relationships and helping teams become more productive.

If communication could be stronger within your management team, talk to us about creating a bespoke training programme that meets the needs of your organisation. After all, when it comes to workplace communication, perhaps the biggest mistake of all is simply assuming it has happened. Call us on 01452 331331, or complete the contact form.