Message Distortion   Message distortion occurs whenever a message sent by one communicator is interpreted differently by the person receiving the message.  Complex and costly examples of message distortion often occur on the job when someone misinterprets instructions about completing a task. 
The distortion of messages occurs for several reasons, but one of the main reasons is that the human mind by its very nature cannot perceive all of the stimuli that it receives from the world around us.  Although we cannot eliminate distortion completely when we send messages in an organizational (or any other) setting, this module provides a number of suggestions about how we can reduce message distortion.

Information Overload   As information input increase, our output and productivity increase—up to a point.  That is, up to a point the more information we have, the better we are able to do the things we do on the job.  But once we reach that point, we start to actually get too much information.
When information input is too great, breakdowns start to occur and tension builds within any individual.   As this tension increases, errors in processing the information and message we are receiving begin to increase more and more.  We overlook things, make mistakes, misinterpret messages, and so forth.
Information overload occurs whenever a person or system receives information or messages at a faster rate than they can be processed.  As input increases, output also increases up to a point, but when input is too great, breakdown occurs.   As tension within the individual builds, errors in processing information and messages increase.
There are a number of ways that human beings deal with information overload, two of which are reactive—reactive perceptual and reactive arbitrary methods—and one is proactive: reactive perceptual methods include leveling, assimilation, and queuing; reactive arbitrary methods include arbitrary rules and escape; proactive methods include chunking, filtering, and organizational filtering.  This module will also explore delegating and managing time to better cope with overload.

The "Water Cooler" Every organization has its “rumor mill,” or “grapevine.” It could be centred in the cafeteria, the employee lounge, or the mailroom. Or even the water cooler. Today, however, you no longer need a physical space to spread gossip and rumours, or even a telephone system. We have cyberspace—e-mail and the Internet, chat rooms and bulletin boards.

Is There Really a Problem?  How basic communication skills can be used to determine if there really is a problem, and then at how to identify and define it. Sometimes the problem is not what is going on. It is how you are reacting to it, or what you are expecting.   Guideline: 10 steps to take in defining a problem