Communication

Different Types of Communication
The three different types of communication are:
1) Words
2) Tone
3) Nonverbal
There is a great quote in the movie Hitch: "60% of all human communication is nonverbal body language; 30% is your tone, so that means 90% of what you're saying ain't coming out of your mouth."
I think that this greatly shows how the different types of communication influence interpretation. It also illustrates how easily misinterpretations can arise. Even words, the "10%" of communication, can have different meanings for different people. And even when you are using the "correct" words, if your tone or body language "betrays you", then the interpretation of what you are saying could bring about vastly different meanings.
How to Overcome Miscommunication
1) Make sure you have the person's attention. If either of you are distracted, then it will be harder to communicate and get your message across.
2) Think before you speak. This is easier said than done. But it's important to remind yourself of who you are speaking to, what your goal is to communicate, and what words may be misinterpreted.
3) Don't assume. Unless you say something, you usually cannot be entirely sure the other person knows what you're thinking, feeling, or whatever. Even after you are done speaking, you still can't assume that they got the full gist of your thoughts.
4) Be clear. Keep the message as simple as possible. Don't ramble or go on to a lot of extra details. You'll end up losing the person if you talk on and on and on on a tangent.
5) Listen. This is a key step. Communication is not a one-sided thing. It needs to involve more than one person, and once you are done speaking, you need to now give your full attention to the other person and make sure that they got what you were saying.