I shared this answer on LinkedIn and it was chosen as a Best Answer. Here are the top three reasons why communication fails in an organization and how to fix it:

Communication fails for three reasons:
1) Lack of clarity in the message of the presenter.
2) Lack of comprehension or misinterpretation by the receiver.
3) Assumption by presenter that receiver has shared knowledge/background on material being communicated and therefore critical fundamental/contextual pieces are omitted.

How to fix this:
1) The presenter must state at the beginning what they intend to cover/communicate.
2) The presenter must ask the receiver to repeat back the message and mutually agree that message was understood.
3) Ensure that on-going lines of communication are established in the event that questions arise.

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Do you have any other advice on how to communicate effectively? Got an example of bad communication? Would love to hear your insight!