Companies must develop a working environment that is conducive to open, trusting, caring relationships between people—an environment that welcomes new ideas and encourages constructive feedback; one in which management actively serves as a catalyst for nurturing and then disseminating new ideas. One of the functions of management is to recognize communication barriers so that the organization can avoid them. Discussed below are some of the most significant communication barriers to avoid.

Communication barrier: Rigid adherence to organizational charts. Organization charts in a company neither define relationships as they actually exist nor direct the lines of communication. If the organization doesn’t reside in the minds and hearts of the people, it doesn’t exist. No chart can fix that. An organization’s function is simple: to provide a framework, a format, a context in which people can effectively use resources to accomplish their goals. The problem is that organizational charts imply that communication should only flow vertically. The fact is communication must flow across organizational and functional units as well.

Communication barrier: Management isolation. Management should keep in mind that creating lavish executive offices, having administrative assistants construct what amounts to barbed-wire enclosures around those executive offices, establishing perquisites—the corner office, executive parking spaces, separate executive floors, private washrooms and dining rooms, limos, even flying first class when others sit in coach—loudly proclaim who is boss. These “perks” increase personal distance and ensure that people feel that their leaders are unapproachable.

Communication barrier: The development of caste systems. The caste system creates artificial barriers that inhibit communication. For example, does your organization encourage clear language or is jargon the norm? Are there opportunities for people at different levels and in different functional groups to spend time with one another, or is there socializing only along status lines?

Communication barrier: The existence of physical barriers. Distance poses another kind of problem in the workplace. People communicate most with those physically closest to them. Thomas Allen of MIT notes that “beyond a distance of 25 or 30 yards, personal interaction drops off markedly. That is why it is important for management to try to bring together as much as possible those who work together.”

Communication barrier: The ambiance surrounding meetings. The process of setting up a meeting and the nonverbal cues during a meeting often communicate as much as the content of the meeting itself. For example, how often are meetings held? Are people early or late for meetings? Is the boss late? What’s the layout of the room? Who gets invited? What’s on the agenda? How is the agenda prepared? How long does the average meeting last? How much time is allotted to each subject? Is the tone of the meeting formal or informal? How much dialogue is there?

Communication barrier: Consistency of words and actions. Are the actions of your organization consistent with its policies? Does management say they care about innovation, but promote those who don’t rock the boat? Do they say that they reward excellence, but give across-the-board raises? Do they say they reward creativity, but have a long-drawn-out approval process that frustrates anyone with a new idea?

Communication barrier: Political warfare. Some people hoard information for personal gain. They believe they increase their power when others are in the dark. Organizations must combat the idea that playing politics with information will bring personal gain. Organizations marked by politics, turf battles, and staff infighting lack adequate communication.

Communication barrier: Poor listening habits. When report cards are given out for how well we listen, very few of us would receive passing grades. Barriers to listening include assuming a subject is uninteresting and tuning out, focusing on the delivery rather than the content, reacting too quickly before the message is completed, picking up on emotional words and not hearing the rest of the message, listening only for facts rather than trying to absorb ideas, allowing yourself to be distracted, and avoiding listening to subjects that you don’t understand. Everyone must learn to overcome these barriers.

The bottom line is that there are four elements required to make communication thrive. First, every organization requires accessible, affordable, easy-to-use technology. Second, an open, honest work environment should be embraced. Third, people should be encouraged to break down the communication barriers that exist. Last, great leaders must communicate the guiding principles, beliefs, and values of the organization—this will rally everyone to a common cause. For just as the

stars were used to navigate ships in the night, these guiding principles dictate what is important, how decisions are made, how people are rewarded, who gets promoted, what kind of person joins the organization, and how people communicate with one another.http://www.franksonnenbergonline.com/communication/8-communication-barriers-in-business/

Wrong Audience or MethodsEffective communication begins with understanding the audience and the method of communication that serves it best. Do your homework first to get to know the audience, the questions that might be raised and any objections beforehand. Sound research can avoid issues with communication before they arise. Use the communication method best suited to the information being conveyed. Face-to-face meetings are better for important changes taking place at work.Mistaken or Confusing InformationVerify the information being conveyed before sharing it. If your information is unclear, confusing or flat out incorrect, the message sent will be wrong. Double-check information you plan to share in the workplace to ensure its authenticity, clarity and correctness. When you share information that is wrong or confusing, people will not receive the intended message.Too Much, Too Little, Too LateOne of the major communication problems at work is that there is usually not enough information, there is too much information or it is delivered after-the-fact. For communication to be helpful, it must be timely and in the amount needed for people to become knowledgeable without causing them to overreact or misconstrue.Misinterpretation or ApplicationWhen communication is vague or ambiguous, it can lead to misinterpretation or misapplication in the workplace. To convey material effectively, it must be concise, clear and to the point. Have a clear understanding of the facts, the order of information and its intended use before sending a message that can't be retracted.Listening Skills, Questions and FeedbackVerbal communication requires focused listening skills of the audience. When you don't have the full attention of your audience, your message won't be received. For face-to-face meetings, a good practice is to avoid distractions during the meeting. Have people leave their cell phones at their desks and hold the meeting in a conference room or other quiet location. Allow interaction after the meeting to develop clarity and obtain feedback. Answering questions honestly can help to clear up any confusion or misunderstandings.http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/top-ten-communication-problems-workplace-1527.html

Communication Problems in Organizations

“We have a communication problem.” How many times have you heard that as an explanation for project failures, disgruntled employees, or a lack of teamwork in organizations? Aside from the dramatic cases, such as a nurse not telling a doctor that he is about to operate on the wrong leg or a co-pilot not telling the pilot that another plane is on the same landing approach, we rarely know what is meant by “communication problem.” Several colleagues and I decided to find out. Leslie Stambaugh, Jim Stilwell, and I asked 15 organization leaders about the communication challenges they face in their organizations. An analysis of their responses identified nine major categories:

1. Not All Employees Being Kept InformedThe assumption is that the usual modes of communication will send important information to everyone who needs to know and that everyone will receive this information. However, in many organizations, the information doesn’t reach people who are not using those methods of communication on a regular basis (e.g., email that isn’t read by front-line workers).

2. Employees Not Receiving Consistent Messages from ManagementDifferent supervisors are sending different, sometimes conflicting, messages about priorities. This causes confusion and distrust among employees.

3. Employees Not Receiving Timely MessagesInformation is not getting to employees when and where they need it. Without vital information at the right time and in the right place, the decision-making process slows and projects are not completed on time or in the best way.

4. The Right Information is Not Being Sent to the Right PeopleCritical information (e.g., market data) is not being shared among key stakeholders. Top management is not engaging employees who have most of the customer contact in the important decisions of the organization. Employees are not getting important information to management.

5. Expectations are Not Clear

Top leaders do not discuss expectations with mid-level managers. Therefore, they do not have the same expectations nor do they agree on how to reach strategic goals. Because of this, employees do not have clear goals and benchmarks to guide their progress.

6. Plan for the Future is Not Known

Leaders do not discuss their vision for the future of the organization with employees. There is no sense of a shared direction toward which everyone is striving. This does not inspire employees to do their best work.

7. Functional Areas Not Collaborating

Departments/units do not share the information that could help all departments/units achieve common goals. They are competitive rather than collaborative. This limits the capability of the organization as a whole.

8. Employees Not Open with Each Other

Employees do not share information with each other. They do not trust each other. This compromises the productivity of teams, departments/units, and the organization.

9. Communication Hampered by Distance Between Units

Departments/units that are in different locations do not communicate as much and as often as those in close proximity. The distance makes face-to-face meetings harder to arrange and collaboration takes more time.

Even in this age of email, cell phones, text messaging, and Web conferencing, critical communication among leaders, between management and employees, and between departments/units, still does not happen as much and as often as needed.http://stephenjgill.typepad.com/performance_improvement_b/2008/12/communication-problems-in-organizations.html