Communication cannot be considered as a well-defined branch of science. It does not necessarily relate to information transfer between two minds. In fact, it is concerned with ideas being exchanged properly, between two people. Listening is as important a part of communication as is telling. Real communication can only occur if the person who is supposed to receive the message is receptive and ready to understand the sent thoughts. If this does not occur, a failure to communicate occurs.

Principles of Interpersonal Communication
For one to be a successful communicator in personal as well as business lives, it is very important that we understand the viewpoint from the shoes of the other person as well. Empathy and prior understanding of the state of the possible reception of the sent message will also help the cause. The sent message should be concise and clear and proper feedback should be taken from the receiver for understanding whether the effectiveness of the message. The following principles will help in making the message more effective:

Avoid complications in communication by concentrating on only one thought while sending a message.
Not all people perceive the sent message in the same way. Hence, proper words must be chosen.
Avoid cluttering up of words by sending across a concise, specific and clear message.
The non-verbal part of your communication should further support the gravity of your verbal message.
Respect the fact behind us having two ears and one mouth. People who do not take listening seriously have to often face a failure to communicate. For becoming an effective listener, one needs to listen attentively, with open mind and understand the feelings behind the spoken words as this will help majorly in retaining the message.

Types of Failure
Communication is concerned with developing, sending, gathering and interpreting messages. At the same time, it should also be ensured that the sent message has been received properly. Whenever a deviation occurs in the above chain, a failure to communicate occurs. The above principles give us an understanding about the various necessities of effective communication at personal level. At the business level, communication failure occurs in the following forms:
Human Failure: This occurs when departments or individuals fail to communicate effectively leading to increased absenteeism, increased staff turnover, increased staff frustration, loss of team synergy and alienated staff.
Executive Failure: This occurs when communication is found delayed, faulty or lacking in ability to trigger events, leading to increased customer complaints, co-ordination loss and losing the department's or company's direction of action.

Allocative Failure: Lack of enough intelligence and information transfer about the firm's market causes this failure, leading to insufficient resources being allocated, staffing and stocking problems depending on the demand and supply conditions.
Hence, for being successful at the personal as well as professional level, it is imperative that we avoid the failure to communicate. Communication should occur two-way with proper focus, understanding of differing perceptions and emphasis on telling as well as listening.