Barriers to Effective
Communication
No
matter how good the
communication system in an
organization is, unfortunately barriers
can and do often occur . These barriers
are:
1. Physical
2. Psychological
[Link]/semantic
[Link]
structure barriers
5. Personal barriers
6. Barriers related to
communicator
[Link] related to the receiver
1. Physical barriers
-
are often due to the
nature of the environment.
Thus, for example, the natural
barrier which exists, if staff are
located in different buildings or
on different sites.
Likewise, poor or outdated equipment,
particularly the failure of management to
introduce new technology, may also cause
problems.
The
[Link]
BARRIERS
difference in background is
overlooked:
Economic
background
Social background
Upbringing
Continued
lack
of concentration
attitude and bias
Continued
lack
of self discipline
low emotional state
-We all tend to feel happier
and more receptive to
information when the sun shines.
-Equally, if someone has personal
problems like worries about their health
or marriage, then this will probably
affect them.
Continued
Physiological
barriers may result
from individuals' personal discomfort,
caused, for example, by ill health,
poor eye sight or hearing difficulties
[Link]/semantic
Unclear message
Faulty translation
Specialists language
Unclassified assumptions
[Link] related barrier
If your message is too lengthy,
disorganized, or contains errors,
you can expect the message to be
misunderstood and
misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal
and body language can also
confuse the message.
Word choice
too difficult, too technical, etc.
overused words such as, good,
excellent value, etc.
Connotations VS Denotations
Examples Sender DenotesReceiver Connotes
Cheap
inexpensive
poorly
made
Flexible
offers choice
no standard
Compromise
adjust
give in
Different languages and
cultures
Different
languages and
cultures represent a
national barrier which
is particularly important
for organizations involved
in overseas business.
[Link]
structure barriers:
Status relationship
One way flow
Organization structure
Rules and regulations
Distance barriers
Physical barriers
Mechanical barriers
Staff
shortages are another factor
which frequently causes communication
difficulties for an organization.
Whilst distractions like background
noise, poor lighting or an environment
which is too hot or cold can all affect
people's morale and concentration,
which in turn interfere with effective
communication.
[Link] barriers:
Attitude of superiors
Lack of confidence in subordinates
Insistence of proper channel
Ignoring comm.
Filtering of information
Message overload
[Link] related to the
communicator
Unwillingness
to say things differently
Unwillingness to relate to others
differently
Unwillingness to learn new approaches
Lack of self-confidence
Lack of enthusiasm
Voice quality
Continued
Prejudice
Badly
expressed message
Loss in transmission
Semantic problem
Over/under communication
I- attitude
Barriers related to the
receiver
RIGIDITY OF THOUGHTS:
Blurs the power of discrimination
Are not ready to accept anything
new
Adamant attitude
Conventional attitude
continued
KNOW IT ALL ATTITUDE
Thinking that they know everything
about the subject
-Thinking that they are expert in their
field
-Thinking that they are highly
experienced so they do not require
more knowledge.
CONTINUED
NEGATIVE ATTITUDES
-The display of intense emotions
-If the receiver feels threatened
-Biased before head
CONTINUED
WRONG TIMINGS OF DELIVERY
-Delayed message may prove to be
incomplete
-The person is not in a high mood
-The person is in stress
Inferences
Pace of the delivery
Speaking too fast or too slow
Poor grammar, spelling, etc.
Appearance and performance of the
speaker
Use of gender bias terms or stereotypical
terms
Positive VS Negative terms
We have a full year warranty. VS
Warranty is only for the first year.
Individual
linguistic ability -It is
also important. The use of difficult or
inappropriate words in
communication can prevent people
from understanding the message.
Guidelines for overcoming
barriers
Adopting an audience centered
approach.
Fostering an open communication
climate.
Committing to ethical
communication.
Crating lean ,efficient messages.
Continued
Two way channel
Mutual trust
Clarity of message
Timely message
Consistency of message
Good relations
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