COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

Defining Barriers to Communication

Barriers to communication can be classified as follows on the basis of the stage of the communication process during which the problem/s arise:

1. Sender-oriented barriers (lack of planning , clarity about the purpose of communication, improper choice of word, wrong choice of channel…)

2. Receiver-oriented barriers (poor listening, lack of interest, ..)

3. Channel- oriented barriers ( noise, wrong selection of medium..)

Anything that hinders the process of communication at any of these levels is a barrier to communication and is also called miscommunication.
Barriers to communication can be defined as the aspects or conditions that interfere with effective exchange of ideas or thoughts.

Types of Barriers

Types of Barriers:

1. PHYSICAL or Environmental BARRIERS
2. Physiological or biological barriers
3. SEMANTIC OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS
4. PERSONAL BARRIERS
5. EMOTIONAL BARRIERS
6. Socio-Psychological Barriers
7. Cross-Cultural Barriers
8. Physiological or biological barriers .

1. PHYSICAL or Environmental BARRIERS

•A,/ Large working area • Closed office doors • Separate areas for people of different status • It forbids team member from effective interaction with each other.
B/ Noise • Noise is the first major barrier to communication. • For example, the noise of the traffic around a school obstructs the smooth flow of information between the teacher and the students. • Physical noise (outside disturbance) • Psychological noise (inattentiveness) • Written noise (bad handwriting/typing) • Visual noise (late arrival of employees)
C/Time and Distance • Time differences between two different countries. Even the people working in different shifts in the same organization. • Improper Time • Defects in Medium of communication • Network Facilities • Mechanical Breakdowns
D/ Information Overload • Piling up of tasks due to improper time management. • Excess number of people assigned for same task • Work overload
F/ Surroundings • Adverse weather conditions affect not only the means of communication, but also have an impact on the sender and the receiver of the message. • For example: When two people have to communicate with each other under extreme weather conditions.

2/ Physiological or biological barriers •

Physiological barriers are related to a person’s health and fitness. This may arise due to disabilities of the sender or the receiver. • For example: poor eyesight, deafness and uncontrolled body movement. • Physical defects in one’s body may also disrupt communication.

3/ SEMANTIC OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS •

Semantics is the systematic study of the meaning of words. Thus, the semantic barriers are barriers related to language. Such barriers are problems that arise during the process of encoding and/or decoding the message into words and ideas respectively. • The most common semantic barriers are listed as under: a. Misinterpretation of Words For example, the word 'yellow‘ b. Use of Technical Language For example, in the computer jargon, 'to burn a CD' means 'to copy the data on a CD'. To a layman, the word 'burn' may have a very different connotation. c. Ambiguity • A sender often assumes that his audience would perceive the situation as he does or have the same opinion about an issue or understand the message as he understands it

4/ PERSONAL BARRIERS •

Personal barriers have to do with the age, education, interests and needs or intentions that differ from person to person.

5/ EMOTIONAL BARRIERS •

Emotional or perceptional barriers are closely associated with personal barriers.
What is Pyschological barrier? . Psychological barriers can be described as the cause of distorted communication because of human psychology problems.

Psychological barriers • Status difference • Information overload • In attention • Closed mind • Fields of experience
Others include: • Group identification • Self-image • Premature evaluation • Distrust • Poor retention

7/ CROSS-CULTURAL BARRIERS

We can infer that culture is the sum total of ideas, customs, arts, skills of a group of people. It is handed down from generation to generation in the form of traditions, or rules

8. Organizational Barriers

Loss or distortion of messages as they pass from one level to another
Filtering of information according to one’s understanding/interpretation
Messages not read completely or not understood correctly
Deliberate withholding of information from peers perceived as rivals.
Lack of communication policy
Authoritarian attitude of management
Poorly Defined Authority and Responsibility
Too Many Levels in Organization Structure
Insufficient Communication Training.

Overcoming Communication Barriers

Individual Skills
Active listening (Listening for full meaning without making premature judgments or interpretations)
Use Feedback (Many problems are attributable to misunderstanding)
Use Simplified Language (communicate in clear, easily understood terms)

Overcoming Communication Barriers

Select the appropriate channel for the message
Make a special effort to understand each other's perspective
Managers should practice MBWA.
 (The management by wandering around (MBWA), also management by walking around, refers to a style of business management which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through the workplace(s), at random, to check with employees, or equipment, about the status of ongoing work) 32 Overcoming Com

Ways To Overcome Barriers to Communication-

• For Physical Barriers-

 Appropriate Seating Arrangement
 Ensure Visibility & Audibility
 Environmental Comfort
 Minimise Visual/Oral Distractions For Semantic Barriers-
 Use of Simple Language
 Symbols & Charts
 Active Listening/ Constructive feedback

• For Socio-Psychological Barriers-

Calling Attention & Motivation
Assistance & Sympathy For Cross Cultural Barriers-
Understanding of Traditions & Customs
Information of all Sides of Culture.
For Organisational Barriers-
Simple Organisational Structure
Avoiding Information Overload
Flexibility in Meeting Targets

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS