Barriers of Communication

Communication is a process by which message is conveyed to someone or a group of people.And if the message is conveyed clearly, then it is known as effective communication. A communication becomes effective and successful only if the receiver understands what the sender is trying to convey. When the message is not clearly understood one should understand that he is facing a barrier to communication. Barriers to effective communication may cause major hurdles in achieving professional goals.There are a wide number of sources of interference that can enter into the communication process. In a work setting, it is even more common. Since interactions involve people who have years of experience; that is why communication becomes complicated due to the complex relationship that exists at work. A few barriers of effective communication are given below.

1. Physical Barrier : Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. These may be caused by a number of factors like noise, poor lighting, long distance between the senders and receivers overload information, too cold or too hot weather. Noisy transmission and inconsistency in the message will be the major physical barriers.
2. Language Barrier : Language barriers include lack of common language, language of computer/law, specific language, use of difficult or inappropriate words, short forms, incomplete sentence, loosely structured sentence and paragraph etc. These deficiencies lead misunderstanding between the sender and a receiver. The choice of words or language in which a sender encodes a message will influence the quality of communication. It is very important to note that no two people will attribute exactly same meanings to the same words.
3. Cultural Barrier : Effective communication requires deciphering the basic values, motives, aspirations and assumptions that operate across geographical lines. We live in cross-cultural situations and such barriers do exist. Sometimes the non localised vocabulary and typical accent of that particular area prove to create the greatest hindrance in effective communication.
4. Emotional Barrier : One of the chief barriers to effective communication is the emotional barrier. Feelings of fear, resentment, jealously, suspicion, anger, anxiety, and stress etc. Whether you are a sender or receiver, it is necessary to avoid these emotions. Selective hearing and ignoring the non- verbal dues given by the communicator cause barrier in understanding what the communicator wants to.
5. Physiological Barrier : Physiological barriers may be caused from individuals' personal discomfort, caused by ill health, poor eyesight or hearing difficulties etc. Defensiveness, distorted perceptions, guilt distortions from the past can be the major cause of barriers to effective communication.
6. Wrong Channel : There are three media of communication: spoken, written and non- verbal and several channels- face to face conversation, telephone, radio, television, letters, memos, e-mail, newspapers, report, notice and so on. If the choice of the channel or medium is not right, the impact of the message is lost. To wish "Good Morning" an oral channel for this message is highly appropriate. Writing "Good Morning" on a chalkboard in the machine shed is less effective than a warm oral greeting.
7. Badly presented Message : Proper presentation of information is also important to aid understanding.If a person who sends information is not well versed in the topic under discussion and is not able to structure his ideas accurately and efficiently, this will lead to a barrier to effective communication.
8. Over/Under Communication : The quantum of communication should be just right.Neither should there be excess information nor should it be too scanty. Excess information may confuse the receiver and scanty information would make him grope for the actual intent of the message.

Guidelines to Remove Barriers

• To know the people to whom we have to communicate.
• "Learn to look at things" from others perspective.
• Seek and offer feedback.
• Choose the right medium, the right channel.
• Talk less, listen more.
• Mind your tone.
• Plan the communication carefully, especially the difficult one.
• Create an open communication environment.
• Always keep the receiver in mind.
• Avoid having too many transfer stations.
• Don't communicate when you are emotionally disturbed.
• Be aware of diversity in culture, language.
• Use appropriate non-verbal means.
• Select the most suitable medium.
• Analyse the feedback.