What I Really Meant was…
“ W hat I really meant was … ”, or “ I didn’t mean it that way …” are sentences, frequently heard at work places amongst professionals and between individuals trying to clear the air. This happens normally during discussions defending an utterance or gesture that was not appreciated. For each such confessional or explanatory declaration and occasion that led to it, there could be innumerable occasions where possibility of such a declaration never arose and the parties concerned continue to hold positions that eventually turn detrimental to interpersonal and intra-organisational relationships, creating a working environment unnecessarily vitiated. While ‘communication’, is one of the most discussed and focussed aspects of management, miscommunication remains rampant. Despite innumerable seminars or workshops on effective communication and countless books, on the subject, available to managers and managed alike, miscommunication and communication gaps continue...