Communication, as we have learnt, is the lifeline of an organization. A slight disturbance in the smooth flow of communication, downward and upward, horizontal and vertical, etc., may cost dear for the organization. Show
Effective communication is of utmost importance in a business organization in order to provide the desired information on time and with accuracy to develop understanding and good interpersonal and interdepartmental relationship in it. As a result efforts towards achieving organizational objectives can be made collectively, effectively and efficiently. What are Barriers?Barriers refer to obstacles or hindrances that prevent movement, flow and access of information in or outside of an organization. In the lexicon of communication, barriers refer to specific items that can distort or prevent communication within an organization. It affects effective exchange of ideas, thoughts and information. In a nutshell, anything that hinders the process of communication at any level is a barrier to effective communication. Barriers can be originated at any point in the communication process.
Let us briefly discuss the sources of these barriers. Barriers Caused By the SenderThe success of communication of a particular content substantially depends upon the sender, because he is the person who works on the drafts and finalizes the message to be sent. He/she is the originator of the communication. The sender needs to be extremely while drafting or executing the communication to avoid allowing barriers into the process. The sender-generated barriers are as follows −
Barriers in Message TransmissionThe barriers related to message transmission are as follows −
Message transmission is disturbed because of the following barriers −
Problems in ReceptionLet us now see the different problems encountered in the reception of a message in the communication process. The problems are as follows −
Factors Creating Problem in Reception
Problems in Receiver ComprehensionThe receiver in the communication chain is as significant as the sender. The receiver’s understanding the message as desired by the sender is the basic goal of sending the message. However, the problems sometime arise in receiver’s comprehending the message. Inability to comprehend on the part of the receiver leads to development of prejudices in the mind of the sender. It happens because of the following factors. Dealing with Barriers to Effective CommunicationBarriers in communication not only spoil the intent of the message but also in the long term affect smooth functioning and growth of the organization. It is rightly said that communication is the lifeline of a business organization irrespective of the latter’s size and reach. Dealing with barriers in communication needs to be given topmost priority so that there will be a continuous and unperturbed communication in and outside the business. In our subsequent sections, we will see how to deal with the different barriers to communication.
How to Deal with Barriers in Non-verbal Communication?Dealing with barriers in non-verbal communication is not as easy as it seems. In case one’s nonverbal skills are poor, he/she may be sending wrong or negative message to the other. The following are the way-outs for dealing with barriers in non-verbal communication −
How to Deal with Barriers in Verbal Communication?We will now learn how to deal with barriers in verbal communication. Barriers to Effective ListeningBarriers are threat to the success of effective communication. They make communication inaccessible, unintelligible thereby killing the prospect of its being effective. How often has your mind wandered when someone was telling you something? This usually happens when the topic is discussion does not interest you. Sometimes the conversation may be too long and tedious. Sometimes the topic of discussion may be interesting but the speaker is unable to grab your attention, or you may be unable to comprehend because of lack of knowledge of the topic or the vocabulary or language of the speaker. There must be motivation and interest in a conversation to be able to listen effectively. However, even if there is motivation and interest, there might be some barriers that affect our ability to listen well. We will discuss the barriers to effective listening in our subsequent sections. Linguistic/Semantic BarriersThis is one of the most common barriers to listening. Learners of a language normally face this kind of barrier. Unfamiliar VocabularyWords used by the speaker may not be familiar to you. The speaker may use difficult words and jargons. As a result you cannot comprehend what the speaker says. Elements of Connected SpeechThe speaker is too fast. There are very few pauses and the rhythm that might not be familiar to you. You fail to recognize familiar words because of contractions, reductions, linking. For example, the speaker says, “I scream” and you hear “ice-cream”. Unable to Predict, Guess, and Interpret Meaning from the ContextA person who pays attention to sound structure would recognize that a rapidly spoken “Idrankitfirst” could mean either “I drank it first” or “I’d rank it first.” You should be able to recognize whether it is “I drank it first” or “I’d rank it first” from the context. Sometimes the speaker implies something but does not overtly express it. “That would be all, thank you” is a polite and indirect way of telling someone you do not need their services anymore instead of the more direct ‘You may leave now”. You guess the meaning from the context though the speaker does not overtly express what he or she wants. Get Words but Lose IdeasYou lose track if you concentrate on each and every word the speaker says, especially if you need to do it for a long period. As a result you may understand the meaning of almost all the words but do not get the gist. You do not distinguish the important information from the unimportant. Socio-Cultural BarriersThe socio-cultural barriers also hamper effective listening. Different Cultural BackgroundThe speaker’s accent and pronunciation of words are not familiar to you because of difference in cultures between you and the speaker. Unfamiliar SubjectThe subject may not be familiar to you because you are not familiar with a particular culture or are unaware of the lifestyle of a particular society. Psychological BarriersIn this section, we will discuss the different psychological barriers to effective listening Forming opinions and drawing conclusions before listeningIt is not a bad idea to know the purpose of your listening. But you may form opinions about the speaker even before he or she speaks. You may make assumptions about the subject to be spoken about and draw conclusions even before the speaker speaks. This may block your mind and as a result you will not be able to listen. Lack of interest in the topicYou may not listen if you do not have any interest in the speaker’s topic. Inability to pay attentionDay dreaming and a wandering mind may prevent you from listening. PrejudiceYou may refuse to listen to something, which goes against your ideas and beliefs. You hear only what you want to hear. Physical BarriersPhysical barriers also hinder effective listening. Let us see what these physical barriers are. Noisy surroundingsThe environment may be too noisy, which may affect listening. Physical distanceYou may be too far away from the speaker or too close to the speaker to be able to hear clearly. How to deal with Barriers in Written CommunicationIneffective written communication may overturn everything fair intended in the content of message. It can prevent an applicant from landing in his/her dream job, one promotion, can cancel a deal, and may hamper the image of an organization. Barriers in written communication entirely distort the content of the message sent and results in communication breakdown. It is therefore essential to cope with the barrier in written communication in order to ensure that effective communication is established. The following are the necessary ways to deal with such barriers. Right People
Right Language
Right Presentation
Right Content
Right Sequence
Right Channel
Right Feedback
Effective Communication – Elements of Poor CommunicationLack of effective communication across and beyond a business organization is termed as poor communication. It afflicts the free flow of ideas, employee productivity, staff cooperation, innovation and ultimately upset overall efficiency of human resources of the organization. Poor communication elements are found in all types of communication. We have learnt about these barriers in our previous chapters. Reasons for Poor CommunicationThe flowchart given below shows the different reasons for poor communication − Besides, lack of commitment among the workforce, inexperienced staff, feeling of fear and dissatisfaction, unconscious incompetence among the employees and the managers can also result in poor communication. Consequences of Poor CommunicationPoor communication can have disastrous effect on the workforce and also on the overall productivity and efficiency of the organization. The following are some of the consequences of poor communication in business organizations.
Summary
What are 2 barriers you experience when you are trying to engage in effective verbal communication?Barriers to effective verbal communication
Avoid abstract, overly-formal language, colloquialisms, and jargon, which obscure your message more than they serve to impress people. Using stereotypes and generalizations. Speakers who make unqualified generalizations undermine their own clarity and credibility.
What are the two most common barriers of effective communication?Following are some of the barriers to effective communication:. Semantic barriers.. Psychological barriers.. Organisational barriers.. Cultural barriers.. Physical barriers.. Physiological barriers.. What are 5 barriers to effective communication?Common Barriers to Effective Communication. Dissatisfaction or Disinterest With One's Job. ... . Inability to Listen to Others. ... . Lack of Transparency & Trust. ... . Communication Styles (when they differ) ... . Conflicts in the Workplace. ... . Cultural Differences & Language.. What are 3 common communication barriers?Types of Effective Communication Barriers:. Technical barriers.. Language barriers.. Psychological barriers.. |