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A Simple Solution to Fix Workplace Miscommunication | Melissa M. Mikus | TED

Leadership expert Melissa M. Mikus breaks down why most workplace friction isn’t about personality clashes or bad intentions — it’s about not knowing how to effectively communicate. Her solution? A small, visible and easy tweak that anyone can implement right away. (Recorded at TED@BCG on October 23, 2025) Join us in person at a TED…

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Leadership expert Melissa M. Mikus breaks down why most workplace friction isn’t about personality clashes or bad intentions — it’s about not knowing how to effectively communicate. Her solution? A small, visible and easy tweak that anyone can implement right away. (Recorded at TED@BCG on October 23, 2025)

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20 Comments

  1. @alejveliz

    July 3, 2026 at 11:03 am

    Thank’s

  2. @RebaTN

    July 3, 2026 at 11:24 am

    This “sure” example shows us both the power of live interaction and life-balance are necessaries. To rectify the “sure” in the future, either party could schedule a Meeting to allow proper response along with Qs. Meetings don’t have to be long, as some are less than 5 mins. Meetings show respect to each other & top notch communication.

  3. @Avarice7D

    July 3, 2026 at 11:29 am

    This is a great idea for team efficiency, not so great for privacy.

  4. @natus_est_fons

    July 3, 2026 at 11:33 am

    Interesting idea. and I admit, actually it already works, but without tegs. but how to be if a lot of colleagues use different communication style? I mean I will communicate with them in their style. but then who will communicate with me in my communication style?))

  5. @eleninena

    July 3, 2026 at 1:00 pm

    So, instead of just making sure we do not send one word responses with no punctuation and no emoji, we go to an entire methodology of letting others know how we prefer to communicate?

  6. @ch33zusofpokemon25

    July 3, 2026 at 1:34 pm

    This is what office work is like huh ?

  7. @furtie

    July 3, 2026 at 2:08 pm

    This person sounds like she is a useless contributor who would drastically slow down work with stupid meetings. Exactly what is wrong with corporate culture.

  8. @sacstaterEVOLution

    July 3, 2026 at 2:27 pm

    This is great for *internal* email signatures.

  9. @jc8888k

    July 3, 2026 at 3:06 pm

    I mean “sure”. But this is dependent on the type of work involved and the leadership of that function. For a lot of white collar work; you do want to be inclusive and thoughtful but not at the mercy of the business needs itself.

    If you have individualized and customized comms plans for every member of the organization, at some point you’ll be bogged down in a cascading fashion just communicating an idea or change that could’ve been an email or a “meeting about a meeting”. If you want to move fast, screen your hiring for flexible information absorption, and then operate focused on communicating with the widest audience possible for shared context and ensure you have a written or transcribed version for discoverability.

  10. @ReflEchoFractal

    July 3, 2026 at 3:17 pm

    ❤️❤️

  11. @mhnkhzn3599

    July 3, 2026 at 9:12 pm

    How about reproduce kids biologically less, have a system that everyone has their basic needs to reduce unhealthy competitions, consequently people be less busy and have time to process their job well and respond well?
    Everyone knows processing things takes longer than hearing them.

  12. @saranbhatia8809

    July 3, 2026 at 11:28 pm

    Nice talk! We need to stay positive!! Good message!!!

  13. @BritishRick

    July 4, 2026 at 12:49 am

    People never understand anything or anyone. They only understand subjective interpretations and projection. And they condemn anyone who questions it.

    • @BritishRick

      July 4, 2026 at 12:58 am

      Just ignore everyone. Because no one cares about anyone because they are too busy with themselves and their fleeting narrative for their impermanent existence.

  14. @ShahzanAli-c4i

    July 4, 2026 at 1:10 am

    This is outstanding idea at atll

  15. @LordAugastus

    July 4, 2026 at 1:26 am

    Most ‘miscommunication” is due to hagiarchy culture of the post industrial non democratic workplace with the power imbalance and HR protecting the company and punishing workers…

    We have to stop pretending, this system is fucked, the rich got all the wealth and ownership, and people cant even be human in workplace because authoritarian walls of heigharchy, beurocracy and strcutrure///

    We never FINISHED THE DEMOCRACY experiment int he govenmetn, and NEVER EVEN ATTEMPTED DEMOCRACY int he workplace. So now we have ted talks made by corporate HR for communication 101 for consumer slaves.

  16. @travelling_teachers

    July 4, 2026 at 7:28 am

    I love this! It facilitatee so much!!!

  17. @Laboratório2000

    July 4, 2026 at 11:44 am

    Loved it!

  18. @fokrulamin430

    July 5, 2026 at 5:16 am

    Double coconut ❤

  19. @JeysonDominguezasprilla

    July 5, 2026 at 9:23 am

    I needed this!

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