In many organizations, miscommunication acts like an undercurrent of inefficiency, tugging away at limited resources and dragging down performance. Although its pull may seem slight, miscommunication between staff can have unexpectedly disastrous effects.   Miscommunication among healthcare employees, for instance, often leads to improperly written prescriptions.  According to the Joint Commission, such miscommunication “harms an estimated 1.5 million people in the United States each year, [and results] in upward of $3.5 billion in extra medical costs.”   In this way, miscommunication can affect an entire organization, through outcomes like incorrectly ordered materials and other production breakdowns. Furthermore, employee engagement wanes in the face of poor communication.  This is because employees who don’t have a strong understanding of their own role often struggle to stay passionately dedicated to their work.   When they feel they cannot excel due to communication issues beyond their control, cynicism often poisons an employee’s mindset.

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