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Communication Misunderstanding
Students Name
Institution Affiliation
Course
Date
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Communication Misunderstanding
Summary of the communication misunderstanding I ever encountered
In a recent instance of communication, I, in my role as the project manager, experienced a
communication breakdown while using the telephone as the mode of communication to relay
task updates to a team member who was working remotely within my company. My message
was primarily verbal, in which I was detailing progress and some of the upcoming tasks. Since
the feedback was verbal, there were some limitations that led to the misunderstanding of the
team member's feedback. Such restrictions included loss of audio quality, which was caused by
disruptions in the phone connection, leading to a misinterpretation on the part of the team
member feedback.
telephone channel and interference played in increased miscommunication and the
role
The telephone as a channel of communication allowed for the real-time communication,
minimizing the risk of misinterpretation due to delays (Tkalac Verčič & Špoljarić, 2020).
However, there was some potential interference, such as poor reception, poor signal quality,
background noise, that could introduce distortions in my teammates' message, leading to
misunderstanding of the feedback they gave. Another potential interference may include a
network Congestion which is mainly experienced during peak hours or in areas with high
network traffic additionally lack of visual cues is considered as another interference, phone
conversations lack the visual cues and body language present in face-to-face communication thus
the absence of non-verbal signals can lead to misinterpretations of tone or intent of the message.
impact of feedback on me as the sender and the team member as the receiver
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A quick and Immediate verbal feedback through the telephone facilitated a quicker
clarification and understanding of the feedback. However, if there were technical issues causing
disruptions or unclear reception, it could impact both me and the team member negatively in a
way that I had a misunderstanding of my teammate's feedback.
Ways in which the communication could be improved or adjusted to avoid
miscommunication and limit the impact of interference.
One way to improve and adjust to avoid miscommunication is ensuring a stable and clear
phone connection during the communication process to minimize the risk of interference and
misunderstanding of the messages and information. One should also consider the use of video
calls for more complex discussions, such as conferences or meetings, to capture non-verbal cues
that are being expressed either by the receiver or the sender of the message (Tkalac Verčič &
Špoljarić, 2020). Another way of improving the communication is by choosing a quiet
environment location to make or receive calls so as to minimize background noise and
distractions.
For an alternative communication channel, I would recommend the use of email as a
better channel or method of communication because it ensures there are backups in case of any
technical issues in the communication process. Reduced Interruptions is also another reason to
recommend email as a mode of communication. Unlike phone calls that can interrupt work or
activities, emails allow individuals to manage their time more effectively because it allows
people to choose when to check and respond to emails, reducing the frequency of interruptions
during focused work.
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State and describe the role Aristotle's ethos, pathos, logos, and Burke's identification
theory played in my delivery of the message
Some of the essential elements in persuasive communication include the Aristotle's ethos,
pathos, and logos. Ethos is the speaker's credibility and trustworthiness in communication. The
establishment of ethos involves demonstrating someone’s sincerity and goodwill. This is
important for gaining the audience's trust. In one’s message, one is likely to work so as to
establish the credibility, either by showcasing the knowledge on the subject, experience, or
commitment to a particular topic one intends to address or talk about. Pathos is usually the
emotional appeal, that is, the tone of the sender or receiver's voice, that can effectively convey
the communicator's emotions, influencing the team members (Wieder, 2019). The pathos can be
achieved by using vivid language, personal stories, or evoking emotions that can resonate with
the audience. One may have integrated emotional elements to connect with the audience on a
deeper level, making the message more memorable and compelling. Logos is the Logical appeal
ensuring a logically structured message is still important for conveying information coherently so
as to support an argument, and it mainly involves the presentation of facts, statistics, and a well-
structured argument the message is likely to be used as a logical appeal to convince the audience
by providing sound reasoning and evidence thus help in the building of a rational foundation for
the message (Wieder, 2019).
Burke's theory emphasizes the role of identification in persuasion, while the identification
involves finding common ground between the speaker and the audience in a communication
process (Burke & Stets, 2022). In your message, you probably sought to identify with your
audience by understanding their values, beliefs, and perspectives. This connection enhances the
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likelihood that your audience will be receptive to your message, as they see it as aligned with
their own interests and values.
How could the communication be improved if these two theories were considered
during the communication process.
Some of the improvements that have been made when the Aristotle's Ethos, Pathos, and
Logos are put into consideration are emphasizing a clear and confident voice, using an
appropriate tone, and structuring my message logically would enhance the impact of the
telephone communication while in the Burke's Identification Theory could identify common
goals and values during the conversation, fostering a sense of connection and understanding
during the communication.
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References
Burke, P. J., & Stets, J. E. (2022). Identity Theory: Revised and Expanded. In Google Books.
Oxford University Press. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QI-
aEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Burke
%27s+theory+&ots=h2x7qaYB4V&sig=gVOmHdmllSmLyFDHiCbeGg-
GksQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Burke
Tkalac Verčič, A., & Špoljarić, A. (2020). Managing internal communication: How the choice of
channels affects internal communication satisfaction. Public Relations Review, 46(3),
101926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101926
Wieder, J. S. (2019). Communicating Radiation Risk. Health Physics, 116(2), 207–211.
https://doi.org/10.1097/hp.0000000000000998
