The construction supervisor working with your company gives you directions to meet him at your company’s new commercial development. He says, "It’s a short drive. Meet me at the trailer, and I’ll give you a tour."

You follow the directions: down Madison Parkway and past several new housing developments. You continue to drive: mile 5, mile 10. It isn’t until you reach mile 20 that you finally see the trailer. After all of this driving, you complain and tell the supervisor, "That’s not a short drive!"

What communication barrier is described in this situation?

A) Lack of language skills
B) Distractions
C) Differing frames of reference

How might you overcome this communication barrier in the future?

A) Be more aware of bypassing.
B) Be more aware of your frame of reference.
C) Be more aware of potential distractions.

Frame of reference simply means that it is a judgement you make based on your perceptions, understandings and opinions. Frame of reference is highly subjective and depends on each individual.

In this scenario, from Supervisor's point of view, the drive was a "Short" drive. But for you, the drive was "Super long".

By being aware of how the other person refer to certain matters and having a general idea about his/her frame of reference will solve this problem in the future.