I know you think you understand what you thought I said, but what you heard is not what I meant.

This phrase, sometimes attributed to former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, nicely captures the problem we often have in communicating. Getting our ideas across to another goes far beyond just articulating them clearly – it involves a subtle combination of body language, volume, emphasis, cadence and inflection. It benefits tremendously from continuous feedback. As text messaging and social media become more frequent communication channels, it’s easy to see how we might have trouble understanding one another.

When my wife and I travel internationally, we try our best to learn a few basic phrases in the local language. At the very least, it’s a polite way of acknowledging that we are on their turf. It is usually met with a genuine effort to find some common ground for exchanging information. I am embarrassed by the number of people around the world who speak functional English, while my foreign language skills are minimal at best. In these conversations, facial expressions and gestures are a critical element of success. This approach, however, isn’t always enough.<continue reading>