Discussion on:

Corporate contagion: Read-my-Mind syndrome

I would have to agree with you 100%. What's even worse than that syndrome is having a co-worker who doesn't take the time to ask anything to know what's going on, and then get belligerent and mean when they find out something didn't go as they expected. They also tend to say that things are 'over' communicated........

This seems to run rampant in the business world in which more communication is always on the list of wants. Getting rid of this syndrome will never happen in my opinion.

By the way Toni, thanks for being so quick to respond, and for just responding! It's not too often that I actually receive a response from someone on a blog.

I can't help but wonder for those resumes that don't call a specific position they are looking for are just trying to look for any position at all. Perhaps they feel like listing a specific position might cause them not to be chosen for a different position that is open.

Of course, showing your desperation for a job isn't exactly a way to make yourself an appealing candidate...

The company I work for is forever buying new systems that are supposed to replace existing ones, but never quite make it so we end up keeping both. Now I don't mind supporting more systems, but the only way I find out I'll be doing so is when I get a meeting invite to a training class. Most times I had never even heard of the product.

And then there's the case of being put in charge of a schedule and delivery, and the boss "forgets" at every turn and keeps giving orders! No wonder people get confused.

Having too many devices/channels is part of the problem. Monitoring only certain channels (1 cell, 1 E-Mail, IM) tends to take care of that, because those who want their message to get through learn to use those channels. Another issue is quality of communication.
Also, we should emphasize the basics. Think before you write. Use the right medium for your communication. Read your own writing before you send it; better, get another set of eyes. Know your audience and write for them.

The only thing I can think of that might motivate this behavior is an attitude of self-importance. The instance you mentioned above with the comment attached to the resume is certainly becoming more common in my experience. For instance today one of my coworkers was haranguing our main software developer about a small change that occurred in the latest release of a particular software. It was change that was mildly annoying yes but could have been dealt with easily enough with our resources here. Instead he decided to tell them how much their software sucked. While I wouldn't disagree it seems to be another example of the "read my mind behavior"; programmers are only human and cannot please everyone.

Too often, miscommunication is caused by flippant answers to straightforward questions. How often have you been in meeting where some smart-ass manager answers a question with a question or hints at an answer or gives an ambiguous reply? The intent is not to communicate but to appear superior. It's sad how often this type of personality rises in an organization.

Lack of communication despite a plethora of communication devices boils down to the same flaw in security - it's only as effective as the human using it. When humans get lazy, or are spread too thin and are therefore too busy to focus on every single detail, they start taking shortcuts and missing key points that are critical to effective operations. Like clicking on links in e-mails despite the fact that they don't recognize the sender, or choosing 12345 for their password because it's easy to remember, or thinking they sent an e-mail or text when they got interrupted and didn't.

by what you wrote: "... some people don???t have the common sense to pass on information naturally." This tells me you are a writer/communicator who works with other writers/communicators. I can tell you it is not some people that don't have good communication skills - it is MOST people that don't have good communication skills.

Everybody wants more communication - but only in their preferred medium (f2f vs email vs daily/weekly/etc status reports vs whatever). Everybody wants to receive clearer communications - whether they can communicate clearly or not. Everybody wants to have input to the project/process/issue/event - even if their input is not needed, desired or of value. Too many people want to be "irreplaceable" on the job which leads to a natural tendency to "hoard" information, especially about what they are doing and how - even if someone else has a need to know because they share work or their work is dependent on the hoarder's.

But I do have to agree that "Alone-in-the-World Syndrome" and "Read-My-Mind Syndrome" are real. And apparently contagious.

It comes as no wonder. Corporate arrogance, along with a "not invented here" syndrome, stifles any kind of communication in either direction. Most tragically, when it stifles upward communication. This is most clearly illustrated in the vast majority of dysfunctional or non-functional "Customer Support" departments. All so often, the bigger the company, the worse the support.

I suspect because you're writing a tech blog, you sort of somewhat put the blame on the technology but most people cannot communicate well and have never been able to. It's got nothing to do with email or telephone or writing (Aristotle said books would mark the death of civilization) or speaking.

Most folks don't 'know' what they are doing and so cannot teach it to anybody else.
It's the correctly interpreted old saw: Those who can do, those who can't teach.

Most people use this as a slam against teachers instead of for insight into how teaching (explaining a job or task to someone) actually works. You can see this in the music teaching biz easily. The folks who are 'natural' musicians have one heck of a time teaching folks who aren't naturals because the naturals have no techniques for working around common issues that they never had to deal with.

Moms have the same issue. 'Clean your room' seems to them a complete statement but to the husband or child, the room already looks clean. Or picking up the clothes off the floor _is_ clean to them whereas the mom has a different idea of what 'clean' means (often construed as micromanaging when it is really mis-communication or crossed definitions.)

...it doesn't surprise me that the Read-My-Mind syndrome is alive and well in the workplace environment. With the entitlement mentality strong with the current workforce, and the dumming down of the school curriculum it's a wonder that any business is conducted at all.
Many today cannot communicate in formal written or oral forms. Texting and email has replaced the need for social graces and relationship building. First impressions are out the window and a dictionary for slang definition is a requirement.