1. Barriers to Communication

2. Barriers to communication

3. Barriers to Communication
In communication, as a psycho-semantic process, the word barrier implies, mainly something non-physical that keeps people apart or prevents activity, movement etc.
E.g. social / ethnic / language barriers or lack of confidence
Negative forces may affect the effectiveness of communication by acting upon any or all of the basic elements of communication process

4. Barriers Noise Lack of planning Wrong / unclarified assumptions
Semantic problems (relating to words’ meaning)
Cultural barriers
Socio-psychological barriers
Emotions
Selective perception
Filtering
Information overloaded
Loss by transmission
Poor retention
Poor listening
Insufficient period for adjustment
Goal conflicts
Offensive style
Time & distance
Abstracting
Inferring (conclude)

5. Barriers - sender Lack of planning
Vagueness about the “purpose” of communication
Objectives to be achieved
Choice of wrong language, resulting in badly encoded message
Unshared & unclarified assumptions
Different perception of reality
Wrong choice of the channel

6. Barriers - Receiver Poor listener Inattention Mistrust
Lack of interest
Premature evaluation
Semantic Difficulties
Bias / Lack of trust
Different perception of reality
Attitudinal clash with sender
Not in a fit physical state

7. Common barrier – both sender & receiver
Absence of a common frame of reference affecting smooth interpretation of thoughts, feelings and attitudes from the sender to the receiver in a specific social situation

8. Noise Blaring of loud speakers Poor telephone line Faulty TV cable
Adverse weather conditions interfering transmission
Faulty encoding
Inattention on the part of listener
Faulty decoding

9. Lack of Planning Not properly organized/composed
Transmitted through a wrongly chosen medium
Wrong choice of time
Wrong choice of place

10. Wrong & unclarified assumptions
All communications are made under some assumptions, which are never communicated
They may turn out wrong & cause communication failure
E.g. we often assume that others –
See the situation as we do
Should feel about the situation as we do
Think about the matter as we do
Understand the message as we understand it
All such assumptions may be incorrect. Hence one should try to verify whenever possible, It helps communication be effective

11. Semantic Problems
The systematic study of transmission of meaning is semantics
Any problem arising from the expression/transmission of meaning are semantic problems/barriers
Not always necessary for the meaning in the mind of sender to be same as that in the mind of receiver
It is of vital importance for the sender to encode his message in such a way that receiver decodes it to get the intended meaning
One must aim at simplicity, clarity and brevity so as to minimize the chances of different interpretations. Use of jargons should also be avoided

12. Cultural Barriers
Same category of words, phrases, symbols, actions, colors mean different things to people of different countries/cultural backgrounds

13. Emotions
Encoding and decoding of messages depends to quite some extent on one’s emotional state at a particular time
Extreme emotions, like jubilation or depression, are likely to hinder effective communication
Anger is the worst enemy of communication
Message received when one is angry is likely to be interpreted in a very different manner than when one is calm and composed
Stress may also lead to building of negative emotions, further leading to communication breakdown

14. Selective Perception
Receivers selectively see and hear depending upon their needs, motivations, background, experience and other personal characteristics
While decoding the messages they project their own interests and expectations
Fact is we don’t see reality, we interpret what we see and call it reality

15. Filtering
Sender manipulates information in such a way that it will be seen more favorably by the receiver
The more vertical levels in the hierarchical system, the more chances for filtering

16. Information Overload (Availability of huge amounts of data which the receiver is unable to handle effectively)
Results-fatigue, disinterest and boredom
Very often relevant information gets mixed up with irrelevant details and therefore goes ignored by receiver.
Screening of information is necessary
Messages should be directed only to those people who are likely to benefit from the information
Major points should be highlighted leaving out all irrelevant details

17. Loss by Transmission
When messages pass on from person to person in a series of transmissions they are likely to become less and less accurate. They get diluted on the way

18. Poor Retention
Necessity of repeating the message using several channels/media

19. Poor Listening Poor listening and hasty evaluation is a major problem
Reason is mostly people are too much involved in their own problems and pampering their own egos
We should keep our eyes, ears open, rise above our egos, empathize with others

20. Insufficient Period for Adjustment
Change in shifts in time, transfer to another department, change in profile,…
People respond to change in different ways and require their own time to think about full meaning, implications and consequences of the message

21. Goal Conflicts
Various units and sub units in an organization internalize their own goals, leading to splitting or bifurcation of interests
Conflicts act as communication-reduction mechanism.

22. Offensive Style of Communication
When a manager sends a message in such a way that the juniors become defensive he/she contributes to negative factor of poor interpersonal relationship.

23. Time & Distance
Time
The frequency of communication encounters affects the human relationship
Different shifts/meeting at wrong time, phone call at wrong time affect the communication
Distance
Faulty sitting arrangement at office may create communication gaps
Boss can minimize status difference between himself and his employees

24. Abstracting (conceptual, not concrete
We use language to communicate our experiences and feelings but we can’t communicate every detail of it.
We abstract the reality and report only the valuable characteristics
We observe partially and communicate partially because our experience of the event is also partial
When we try to convert our observations and experiences into words, we further abstract it by using selective words which involve leaving out the details

25. Wrong Inferences More dramatic than facts and give scope for gossip
Inferences supported by facts are essential for professionals when they analyze material, solve problems and plan procedures

26. Socio - Psychological Status
Consciousness of one’s status affects 2-way flow of communication
Creates personal barriers caused by superior-subordinate relationship
Though 2-way vertical channel exists in every organization
Few subordinates choose to communicate with their superiors and vice versa
Though organizations are changing by adopting flat structures, psychological distance between superior – subordinate exists

27. Barriers – Socio - Psychological
Perception* & reality
Human communication takes place in the world of reality which surrounds us – our sensory environment
Sense organs stimulated by signs (external)
Sense Perceptions received by our brain through our senses recreate within each one of us the world which exists within our mind as its content
2 aspects of same reality –
External which surrounds the communicator &
Internal – mental representation as seen / believed by the individual
(Insight, observation)

28. Barriers – Socio – Psychological
5 sense organs –
Eyes – sight
Ears – sound
Nose – smell
Tongue – taste
Flesh – touch
Objects which excite the sense organs are called “signs”
Senses respond to signs - sensations - transported to the brain through the sensory nerve network

29. Barriers – Socio - Psychological
Perceptions are mental images of external work stored in our brain – viewpoint, experience, knowledge, feelings & emotions
Perceptions constitute-
what we are
How we think
How we feel OR
How we respond to something

30. Barriers – Socio - Psychological
These stored perceptions colour and modify whatever our brain receives from any signs or set of signs, fresh data, thoughts or messages.
These conditioning perceptions are called “filters”
The mind ‘filters’ the message received from the signs and gives it meaning according to individual perception

31. Barriers – Socio - Psychological
An individuals filter is “unique”
B’coz filters differ, different individuals respond to a sign (word, gesture etc) with different understanding and will assign a meaning according to his/her filter
The presence of a unique filter in each individual communicator and receiver causes the communication gap (distortion) in the message sent and message received

32. Barriers – Socio - Psychological
Easy to remove gaps in face–to–face communication
Understand through listeners facial expression, body language gestures etc. or listener will express
In a written communication - audience is invisible –– semantic gap between intended meaning and interpreted meaning remains unknown.
Feedback does help but it may be too late
Semantic – relating to words’ meanings

33. Activity Communication Barriers
Describe 5 most common communication barriers in workplace.
How can you overcome those 5 communication barriers you described in question 1
you response to with subject line Communication Barriers