Barriers to Communication

PRESENTED BY

IJAZ SHAIKH

“A barrier to communication is something that keeps meanings from meeting”.

- Reuel Howe

MEANING

“No man means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous”.

- Henry Brooks Adams

Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 4 Barriers to Communication

Thought

Construction

Delivery Reception

Translation

Understanding

1 2 3 4 5 6

Communication Path

Thought

Construction

Delivery Reception

Translation

Understanding

1 2 3 4 5 6

Communication Path with Physical Barriers

PHYSICAL BARRIERS

Defect in the medium.

Noise

PERSONAL BARRIERS

Degree of personal shyness

Lack of confidence

Preoccupation

Lack of Subject Knowledge

Stress

PERCEPTUAL BARRIERS

Stereotypes.

Assuming that the audience has the knowledge or capacity to understand the message.

Perceived status particularly if we think that the person we’re communicating with is of much higher or lower status than we are.

CULTURAL BARRIERS

Values and beliefs.

Use of gestures.

Space

LISTENING BARRIERS

Automatic Talking

Selective listening

Being a "fixer"

OTHER VERBAL BARRIERS

Time and timing barriers.

Wrong channel.

Language.

Interruptions.

Lack of feedback.

Nonverbal Communication Barriers

Flashing or rolling eyes.

Quick or slow movements.

Arms crossed, legs crossed.

Gestures made with frustration1.

Poor personal care.

Staring at people or avoiding eye contact.

ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS Culture that discourages informalcommunication by insisting on puttingeverything in writing.

Lack of appropriate communication cchannels.

Culture of individualism that makes it difficult to obtain a corporate view.

Culture that discourages individual expression.

Culture of conflict that leads to information being distorted or withheld.

WAYS TO OVERCOME ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS

Be clear in your own mind about what youwant to communicate.

Step into the receiver’s shoes and anticipatethe impact of your communication.

Use feedback to encourage two-waycommunication and check understanding.

CONTD……

When possible, communicate directly, face-to-face so that you can use non-verbal signals.

Limit the number of links in the communication chain. The last point is particularly important within the context of organizational communications. Try to avoid messages being diffused through various levels of management; they may well get distorted as they move downwards or upwards.

WAYS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS

Send clear, concise messages.

Learn to use feedback well.

Hear and correctly understand messages someone is sending to us.

Be sensitive to receiver’s point of view.

Listen to UNDERSTAND!

Use proper channel(s). Learn to use channels well.

CONTD..

Work at improving communication skills.

Use direct, simple language, or at least use language appropriate to the receiver.

Learn to use supportive communication, not defensive communication.

Before I can walk in another person’s shoes, I must remove my own.

THANK YOU