With so many avenues and styles of communication available, it can be hard to determine the best way for your message to reach your audience. We’ve noticed five highly infectious communication “illnesses” that often cripple business productivity. How can you diagnose and treat these illnesses? Our experts have the solutions.

1. Irregular Communicenza. This is the result of poor communication, and it is characterized by employee rumors and/or confusion. A company can contract irregular communicenza due to poor information flow among executives, managers, and employees, or a failure to deliver consistent, effective messages.

2. Audience Amnesia. This occurs when you create a message without considering the audience. The audience is one of the most significant factors in shaping a message. If you ignore their needs and preferences, the message won’t be received properly.

3. Union-phobia. For some executives, the mere mention of the word “union” is terrifying. However, fear and avoidance of the “u-word” makes your company vulnerable to possible unionization.

4. Pseudo-listening. This occurs when management fails to listen actively to employee needs and concerns. Kenneth R. Johnson, founder of WAGIC, Inc., a provider of product development and logistics services, notes that we often fail to listen because we mentally rehearse our responses, concentrate too much on our own experiences, or focus on being right.

5. Erratic Messaging. This occurs when organizations send employees messages that are not in line with the company’s philosophy; when management sends employees conflicting messages; or when company messages are delivered inconsistently to employees in different geographic regions.

For more details on these communication problems, and how you can avoid them, read the article, “The 5 Highly Contagious Employee Communication Illnesses.”