Amirul's Scribe: 💡 Miscommunication Is Costing Your Company Millions

💡 Miscommunication Is Costing Your Company Millions — And It’s More Dangerous Than You Think

We often think the biggest threats to a company’s profits are competition, market downturns, or rising costs. But the silent killer lurking inside almost every organization is far simpler, and far more damaging: miscommunication.

💸 Studies show companies lose an average of $2,400 per employee every year due to miscommunication. That’s hundreds of thousands, even millions, drained from your bottom line, not because your product failed, but because your people misunderstood each other.

But the impact goes beyond profit. Miscommunication doesn’t just hurt business; it damages relationships, erodes trust, slows progress, and in some cases, can cost lives.

📉 A Story of How Miscommunication Crippled a Project

Several years ago, a multinational company launched a massive product development project involving teams across four countries. Everyone was highly skilled and well-funded. But there was one problem: no one was truly on the same page.

Designers misunderstood the engineers’ requirements. Marketing misinterpreted the launch timeline. Leadership assumed progress that wasn’t happening. The result? The project missed its deadline by 10 months, overspent by 40%, and the final product didn’t meet customer needs.

The problem wasn’t a lack of talent or effort; it was miscommunication.

📿 What Islam Teaches Us About Clear Communication

The importance of communication is deeply rooted in our faith. Islam emphasizes clarity, sincerity, and responsibility in how we speak and convey messages:

"And speak to people good [words]." — (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:83)
→ This verse reminds us that communication is not just about speaking — it’s about doing so with purpose and goodness, ensuring the other party truly understands.
“The believer does not taunt, curse, or speak foul or obscene words.” — (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1977)
→ Communication is not merely about what we say, but how we say it. A responsible communicator ensures their message builds clarity, not confusion.

Clear communication is a trust (amanah). Whether at home, at work, or in society, failing to communicate clearly is failing to deliver that trust.

🔄 The Hidden Costs of Miscommunication

We often underestimate how much miscommunication costs us:

💼 At work: Delayed projects, duplicated work, missed deadlines, and lost revenue.
❤️ In relationships: Misunderstood intentions lead to resentment, distance, and broken bonds.
🌍 In society: Confusion in messaging causes division, misinformation, and mistrust.

Even in the context of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) goals, which many organizations are racing to achieve, poor communication can derail the best-intentioned plans. Without shared understanding, sustainability efforts remain just buzzwords on paper.

✍️ A Forgotten Skill That Solves the Problem

One of the most effective tools to combat miscommunication is something humanity has used for thousands of years: visual communication.

Before PowerPoints and emails, humans communicated complex ideas through drawings, sketches, and symbols. Yet in today’s digital world, we’ve abandoned this powerful tool.

Visualization Through Freehand (VTF), or drawing your thoughts as you explain them, is a simple yet transformative method to improve clarity. When combined with digital communication, it creates an unbeatable synergy: technology delivers reach, while visuals deliver understanding.

This is the foundation of Visual Communication Through Freehand (VCTF), a technique developed by Dr Ruzaimi Mat Rani, now used by leaders and teams to save time, reduce cost, and boost clarity.

🌱 The Lesson: Clarity Is Leadership

In a world drowning in information, clarity is leadership. If you want to lead your team with vision, if you want your strategies executed without confusion, if you want to unlock innovation, start by mastering communication.

💡 Miscommunication is not just a workplace nuisance; it’s a strategic risk. But with the right tools, mindset, and training, it’s also one of the easiest problems to solve.

✅ Call-to-Action

Join us for the "Master Problem-Solving Through Design Thinking and VCTF" program on 26–27 November 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, and learn how to eliminate miscommunication from your organization once and for all.