Communication barriers

Contents
Importance of communication
Business communication – An introduction
Communication barriers
Effect of communication barriers
Overcoming communication barriers
Planning and structuring
Difficult communication situations
Understanding others better
Cross-culture communication
Copyright © 2008 - 2012
managementstudyguide.c

Why communication is important?
Exchange
thoughts
Communication
Express
oneself
Shared
feelings
Shared
under-standing
You are
communi-cating
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Why communicate?
To increase productivity
To reduce stress
Better understanding of what others say
Better understanding how to get your message across
Enhance relationships
Save time and money
Allows firm to learn
new skills and
technologies
Become more
responsive to
customers
Improve quality of
product and services
and foster innovation
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Modes of communication
One-way Memo, fax, email, voice mail, letter
Two-way Phone call, in-person
Collaborative Team meetings, consulting, group problem solving
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Business communication
The message of communication
The effective way in which you get your
message over to the person(s) that you
are communicating with
Verbal communication
Communication that uses words; may
be either oral or written
Non-verbal communication
Communication that does not use words
like audience awareness, personal
presentation, body language
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Business communication in managerial functions
Internal audiences
• Subordinates
• Superiors
• Peers
External audiences
• Customers
• Suppliers
• Unions
• Stockholders
• Potential employees
• Government agencies
• Press
• General public
People in the
same
organization
People outside
the organization
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Business communication – The basic purposes of
the organization
Inform
Request or
Persuade
Build goodwill
Explain something or
tell readers something
Make the readers act Create a good image
that makes people to
do business with you
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What is communication barrier?
Communication is fruitful
only if the messages sent
by the sender is
interpreted with same
meaning by the receiver
Any kind of disturbance
blocks any step of
communication, the
message will be destroyed
There are several
barriers that affects the
flow of communication
in an organization.
These barriers interrupt
the flow of
communication from
the sender to the
receiver, thus making
communication
ineffective. It is
essential for managers
to overcome these
barriers
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Possible barriers
Symbols or words that have different meanings: Some words mean different things to people
depending on background or culture. A large amount of terminology is used in the hospital and
misunderstanding is often the cause of problems
Different values within the group: Everyone has their own value system and many do not
recognize the value of others
Different perceptions of the problem: Problems exist in all groups, organizations, and businesses.
Problems differ depending on the individual’s perception of the problem
Emphasis on status: If people in power or higher superiority in the organization consistently remind
others of their station, communication will be stifled
Conflict of interest: People may be fearful of change or worried that the change will take away their
advantage or invade their territory. This fear may cause people to block communication
Feelings of personal insecurity: it is difficult for people to admit feelings of inadequacy. People will
not offer information for fear that they may appear ignorant, or they may be defensive when criticized
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Major communication barriers
Perception is generally how each individual interprets the world
around him. All generally want to receive messages which are
significant to them. But any message which is against their values is
not accepted
It is essential to control this information flow else the information is
likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked. As a result
communication is less effective
At times we just not listen, but only hear. Messages should be
ignored for effective communication
The targets have to be achieved within a specified time period, the
failure of which has adverse consequences. In a haste to meet
deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or
messages are partially given, i.e., not completely transferred. Thus
sufficient time should be given for effective communication
Perceptual and language
differences
High load of
information
Inattentive
Time pressures
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Major communication barriers
Physical distractions are also there such as, poor lightning,
uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in
a meeting. Similarly use of high voltage speakers interferes with
communication
If the receiver feels that communicator is angry he interprets that the
information being sent is very bad. While he takes it differently if the
communicator is happy
Greater the hierarchy in an organization more is the chances of
communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level
can see the overall picture while the people at low level just have
knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other
areas
Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One cant always
retain what is being told specially if he is not interested or not
attentive. This leads to communication breakdown
Distraction
Emotions
Organization structure
complexity
Poor retention
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication barriers – ‘Know-hows’
Lack of Enthusiasm
Key actions for good communications
• Paying attention to the type of facial
expressions you make
• Make sure your facial expressions are
appropriate based on your topic, listeners
and objective
• Ensure you are incorporating facial
expressions into your message, matching
the appropriate expression to each situation
Distracting Gestures
• Do you talk with your hands or gesture too
often?
• Do your gestures have purpose?
• When your gestures create a visual for your
listeners, they will remember more
information and will remember your
message longer
• Gestures add energy and inflection to your
voice and channel
Lack of Focus
• When you begin to say too much . . . .
PAUSE!
• Keep your objective in mind. Think in terms
of what your listener needs to know about
what you want them to do and not what you
want to tell them
• Put thought into your words and focus your
message on significant points
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Communication barriers – ‘Know-hows’
Presentation overload
• Create presentation slides with more
pictures and fewer words
• Identify your presentation how best it
supports your message
• Make presentation by identifying listener
expectation and needs
• Listener experience and knowledge level
• Objectives, time frame
• Number of participants
Verbal static
• Think on your feet
• Get to point and avoid rambling
• Take a relaxing breath
• Hold your listener’s attention
• Gain control over your message
• Hear, understand and respond
• Act on what you say
Lack of eye connection
• When speaking to more than two
individuals, connect with one individual for a
complete sentence or thought
• Take a moment to pause as you transition
your eyes from one individual to another
• Ask your listener to immediately give you
feedback when you look away from them
while you’re speaking
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Common internal communication problems in
organizations
The most common communications problem is managements'
(leaders' and managers') assumption that because they are
aware of some piece of information, than everyone else is, too.
Usually staff are not aware unless management makes a
deliberate attempt to carefully convey information
If I know it, then everyone
must know it
Writing something down can be seen as a sign of bureaucracy
and to be avoided. As the organization grows, it needs more
communications and feedback to remain healthy, but this
communication is not valued. As a result, increasing confusion
ensues -- unless management matures and realizes the need
for increased, reliable communications
We hate bureaucracy --
we're "lean and mean."
Another frequent problem is managements' not really valuing
communications or assuming that it just happens. So they are
not aware of what they told to whom -- even when they intended
for everyone to know the information
I told everyone, or some
people, or ...?
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

organizations
With today's increasingly diverse workforce, it is easy to believe
you have conveyed information to someone, but you are not
aware that they interpreted you differently than you intended.
Unfortunately, you will not be aware of this problem until a major
problem or issue arises out of the confusion
Did you hear what I meant
for you to hear?
Particularly when personnel are tired or under stress, it's easy to
do what's urgent rather than what's important. So people
misunderstand others' points or understand their intentions. This
problem usually gets discovered too late, too
Our problems are too big
to have to listen to each
other!
Communications problems can arise when inexperienced
management interprets its job to be solving problems and if
they're aren't any problems/crises, then there's nothing that
needs to be communicated
So what's to talk about?
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organizations
As organizations grow, their management tends to focus on
matters of efficiency. They often generate systems that produce
substantial amount of data -- raw information that does not seem
to really be important
There's data and there's
information
Communications problems can arise when management simply
sees no value whatsoever in communicating with subordinates,
believing subordinates should shut up and do their jobs
If I need your opinion, I'll
tell it to you
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Effect of communication barriers
Emotional
or
psycholo-gical
Effects in
Semantic
Effects in
Organi-zatioal
Effects in
Superiors
Effect of
communication
barriers
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Effects in Semantic
Symbols with
different meaning
Badly expressed
message
Faulty translation
Assumption not
clear or unclarified
Specialist’s
language
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Emotional and psychological effects
Premature
evolution
Failure to
communicate
Distrust of
Commun-ication
Undue
reliance on
written word
Loss of
transmission
Inattention
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Organizational effects
Policy, vision,
mission of the
organization
unclear
Unclear
communication
about organization
rules and
regulations
Lack of good status
relation in
organization
Complexity in
organization
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Personal effects
Effect of barriers in superior
• Attitude of superior
• Fear of challenge of authority
• Lack of time
• Lack of awareness
Effect of barriers in sunordinates
• Unwillingness to communicate
• Lack of proper incentives
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Barriers effecting business communication
Noise in business communication
Any information downloaded at a
noisy place is bound to get distorted
and result in a complete mess.
Noise reduces the chances of the
correct flow of information from the
sender to the receiver.
Unorganized thoughts also lead to
ineffective communication
Communications are bound to suffer
due to ineffective communication. If
any individual wants something from
his team members, he first must be
himself very clear what actually he
expects from his team.
Speaker has to be clear and careful
during meetings about his pitch
and tone
Do not just speak, also invite
questions from the team. After any
seminar or meeting, the superior or
the incharge must send the minutes
of the meeting through email to all the
required recipients to avoid last
minute confusions and discrepancies
and ensure everyone is clear
Difference in thought process
results in poor communication
A boss and the employee can never
think on the same level. One should
remember that the listeners are also
a part of the conversation. The
listeners must give their feedback at
the end of the conversation. If you
are not clear what your boss is
expecting out of you, or what you
are actually supposed to do, ASK
Effect of
communication
barriers
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication barriers effects in organizations
Physical Barriers System design Attitudinal barriers
• It is a natural barrier when
staff is located at different
buildings or at different
sites
• Poor or outdated
equipment, particularly the
failure of management to
introduce new technology
• Staff shortage which
frequently causes
communication difficulties
• It refers to structures or
systems in place in an
organization
• Organizational structure
which is unclear and
therefore makes it
confusing to know who to
communicate with
• Lack of supervision or
training, clarity in roles and
responsibilities which can
lead to staff being uncertain
what is expected from them
• These come as a result of
problems with staff in an
organization
• Factors as poor
management, lack of
consultation with
employees, personality
conflicts which can result in
people delaying or refusing
to communicate
• Lack of motivation,
dissatisfaction at work also
leads to failure to
communicate
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication barriers effects in organizations
Identification
include any breakdown or
impediment that concerns
relaying information. Such
communication may occur
between workers or within a
structural system. One
example of a barrier is a lack
of trust between a manager
and her subordinates.
Vision and Mission
Communication barriers can
impede a company from
relaying its vision and
mission. Weak language
skills, confusing the message
by using different words to
mean the same thing and
physical distractions all inhibit
the free flow of information
Customer service
Communication barriers can
devastate a company's
customer service division.
These barriers include
dismissive, rude employees,
poor customer service
ordering techniques and
failure to relay order
information to the appropriate
parties
Production
The production process may
suffer due to communication
barriers within an
organization. Barriers in
communication can create
inefficient production or even
jarring halts in work flow
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

How to overcome communication barriers?
Eliminating differences
• The organization
should ensure that it
recruits right people.
• It is the responsibility
of the interviewer to
ensure that the
interviewee has
command over the
written and spoken
language.
• There should be
proper Induction
program so that the
policies of the
company are clear to
all the employees
Simple language usage
• Use of simple and
clear words should be
emphasized. Use of
ambiguous words and
jargons should be
avoided.
• The words should be
supported with
examples and retain
attention of the team. I
Eliminate distractions
• Distractions are main
communication barrier
which must be
overcome on priority
basis.
• It is essential to identify
the source of noise
and then eliminate that
source
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Listen actively
• Listen attentively and
carefully. There is a
difference between
“listening” and
“hearing”.
• Active listening means
hearing with proper
understanding of the
message that is heard.
• By asking questions
the speaker can
ensure whether his/her
message is understood
or not by the receiver
in the same terms as
intended by the
speaker
Check your emotions
• During communication
one should make
effective use of body
language.
• He/she should not
show their emotions
while communication
as the receiver might
misinterpret the
message being
delivered
Organizational structure
• There should be a
ideal span of control
within the organization
• Simpler the
organizational
structure, more
effective will be the
communication
• The levels in the
company should not be
complex and should be
optimum
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Prioritize work and give
constructive feedback
• The managers should
know how to prioritize
their work
• They should spend
quality time with their
subordinates and
should listen to their
problems and
feedbacks actively
• Avoid giving negative
feedback. The
contents of the
feedback might be
negative, but it should
be delivered
constructively
• Constructive feedback
leads to effective
communication
Medium of
communication
• The managers should
properly select the
medium of
communication
• Simple messages
should be conveyed
orally, like: face to face
interaction or
meetings.
• Use of written means
of communication
should be encouraged
for delivering complex
messages
Make flexible in
achieving the targets
• For effective
communication in an
organization the
managers should
ensure that the
individuals are meeting
their targets timely
without skipping the
formal channels of
communication.
• There should not be
much pressure on
employees to meet
their targets.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Strategies for overcoming language barriers
Speak slowly
and clearly
Ask
questions
and
clarifications
Frequently
check if
audience are
understanding
Avoid idioms Be careful of
jargon
• Focus on
clearly
enunciating
and slowing
down your
speech.
• Even if you
are
pressured for
time, do not
rush through
your
communi-cation
• If you are not
100% sure
you have
understood
what others
say, politely
ask for
clarification.
• Avoid
assuming
you have
understood
what has
been been
said
• Check both
that you have
understood
what’s been
said and that
others have
fully
understood
you.
• Practice
reflective
listening to
check your
own under-standing
• Business
language is
often
contextual,
and therefore
culture
specific
• This may
make your
communicati
on more
difficult to be
understood –
so avoid
them
• Watch the use
of TLAs (Three
Letter
Abbreviations)
and other
organizational
language that
may not be
understood by
others
• If you use
them, provide
in parentheses
a description
of what these
are so others
can learn
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Strategies for overcoming language barriers
Define the
basics of
business
Be specific Medium of
communication
Provide
information
Be patient
• Spend time
early in your
communi-cation
defining
business
terms mean
to you and
others.
• Invest in
building a
shared
vocabulary
• Spell out your
expectations
and deadlines
clearly
• Make them
act to your
expectations
and check of
they
understood
the concept
clearly
• Carefully
choose the
medium of
communi-cation
you
need to make
(email, chat,
memo, phone
or video
conference)
• Check
complexity of
message and
use
appropriate
media,
otherwise your
message
would be
ineffective
• Follow phone
calls with
emails that
summarize
what is been
said.
• When
possible,
provide
presentations
agendas, etc.
in advance
so those
working in
their non-native
language can
get familiar
with
materials
• Cross-cultural
communication
takes more
time.
• If not at all
times, certainly
initially you
cannot expect
other
communication
to occur with
the same
speed and
ease as yours
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Strategies to overcoming communication breakdown
• The way people interpret
information from others
they communicate differs
often as the personalities
and experiences of each of
these individuals.
• It gets even complicated in
email when you cannot see
their body language or hear
the tone of voice from the
other person.
So how do we
address this
challenge?
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication breakdown: Conflicting
communication styles
Some people are comfortable
communicating with a direct
style, while others find it
uncomfortable
Some are more comfortable
with other people being direct
with them, while still others
may find it offensive
Some people are very fast,
and they get to the point
immediately
Some are more comfortable
giving a lot of background
information before getting to
the point
The key is to realize that there is no
communication style that is better than
the other and to have patience and
compassion when interacting with a
person whose communication style is
different from your own
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication breakdown: Different frames of
reference
This is where different
individuals interpret the same
set of facts or the same event
is different ways
Each individual brings to the
situation a different frame of
reference
The way people interpret
situations or set of facts
depends on the background,
experiences, values, attitudes,
motives, assumptions and
expectations of each individual
Different frames of reference
are the crux of these issues
Sometimes agreeing to disagree is the
best you can do . . . No hard feelings!
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication breakdown: Personal barriers
The way a person interprets
a situation also depends on
emotions and values
The person may hear what
he or she wants to hear
rather than hear what was
actually said
Mental set, emotional sets,
prejudices and the way the
individual chooses to filter or
screen what is said will affect
the way a message is
understood
Poor listening skills are a
major reason many
messages are not
understood properly
Make your presentation effective with
pictures and examples . . . So there would
be more focus on the situation and
message you are passing will be
understood clearly
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Tips to help bridge the communication gap
On the listening end On the speaking end
• Have an open mind. Remember, seek
understanding rather than employing
judgment
• If communicating in person, pay
attention to body language as well as the
content of the message being conveyed.
Listen to what is not said. Pay attention
to their tone of voice
• Ask for clarification about what the
person has said before jumping into
conclusions
• Acknowledge the other person’s feelings
and try to put yourself in their shoes.
Empathy goes a long way!
• Show responsibility for how you are
interpreting things
• Be assertive and say what is on your
mind, but the key is to do it diplomatically
• Be aware of your tone of voice
• Ask if you are being understood and
clarify any misunderstandings
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication Planning
Communicating
the right message to
others in the right way
Getting feedback from audiences is
important. Check whether they
have understood the messages.
By getting timely feedback, you can
tune your communications in future
Monitor
effectiveness
Plan
communi-cation
channels
Understand
your audiences
Plan
communi-cation
messages
Understand
your objectives
Be clear about your overall
communication objective. What
do you want to communicate,
when you want to communicate
and why?. Record all the
details in your plan
Now analyze your
various kinds of
audiences. Clarify
specific objectives
for each audiences.
An easy way is to
think about
audience’s needs
Planning messages
refers to the preparing
the messages which
are required to meet
our objectives.
There are so many
channels which can be
used – email, tele-conference,
newsletter,
posters etc. Think and
use these channels
appropriately
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

The Communication Cycle
AIM
COMPOSE/
ENCODE
TRANSMIT/
DELIVER
RECEIVE
FEEDBACK
CHANGE/
IMPROVE
ANALYZE/
DECODE/
LEARN
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Monroe’s motivated sequence
Get the attention of
your audience.
Entertain them by
humor, telling stories
and make them to sit
up and take notice.
Get
attention
Tell to audience
about the present
problem. The
statement should
make the audience
realize the current
happenings and
what needs to be
changed
Establish
the need
Explain to the
audience about
the solution
which you have
and how to
address the
problem. This is
an important part
of your presenta-tion
Satisfy
the need
Help them see
what the results
could be if they act
the way you want
them to. Make sure
your vision is
believable and
realistic.
Visualize
the future
Finally, leave your
audience with their
solution for the
problem. Don’t
overwhelm them
with too much
information or
expectations
Action/
actuali-zation
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

The 7Cs of communication
When writing or speaking, be clear with your message. The purpose
of communicating messages to your audience should be solved. If you
are unclear in communication, your audience will also be unclear
CLEAR
While communicating to your audience, make sure that you stick to the
point and your message should be brief. Your audience will not be
prepared to hear lengthy speech when it can be communicated briefly
CONCISE
Your message should be solid and concrete. The target audience
should get a clear picture of what you are speaking. There should be
clear focus on the subject
CONCRETE
This refers to the error-free communication. When your
communication is correct it fits your audience
CORRECT
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The 7Cs of communication
Your communication should be logical and coherent. All the points
should be relevant to the main topic. There should be logical and
consistent flow of the text
COHERENT
Your message to the audience should be complete. The target
audience should have full idea of what has been informed to them and
if possible, take action
COMPLETE
Courteous communication means friendly, open and honest. There is
no insult to anyone or passive-agreessive tones.
COURTEOUS
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Creating a value proposition
The “value proposition” statement clearly mentions
the benefits of using our product/services. These
statements should be very specific and should not be
general or vague.
Your value proposition should focus clearly on what your
audience need. This concept is useful in marketing.
Whatever you are 'selling' and to whom, a value proposition
is useful, if not essential, tool. Whether your 'customers' are
external customers, employees, co-workers or even your
family, the idea is to help them see the specific value your
offer brings to them.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Using Stories to inspire
• We all know that we have been fascinated by
stories quite often
• Stories can definitely change your views, the way
we think and feel
• Leaders sometime use stories to motivate people
and to communicate easily to the audience
• Many top CEOs today use stories to illustrate
points and sell their ideas
There are six main types of story that you can use in the workplace:
“Who I Am” stories
“Why I Am” stories
Teaching stories
Vision stories
“Values in action” stories
"I Know What You're Thinking" Stories
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Questioning techniques
Asking the right question is the heart of effective communi-cation
and information exchange. If you ask the wrong
question, you will in return get a wrong answer. By asking
right question you can build stronger relationships, manage
people more effectively and help others to learn too.
There are 2 techniques of questioning
Open questions
Open questions get longer answers. They usually begin
with what, why, how. Open questions are useful for
developing an open conversation, getting more details,
getting other person’s opinion
Closed questions
A closed question usually receives a single word or very
short answer. For e.g., “Yes” or “No” type of answer fall
under this category. Closed questions are good for testing
your understanding, making any decision, frame setting
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Role Playing – Preparing for difficult
conversations and situations
Role playing happens when two or more
people act out roles in a particular scenario.
It's most useful for helping you prepare for
unfamiliar or difficult situations.
You can also use it to spark brainstorming
sessions, improve communication
between team members, and see
problems or situations from different
perspectives
How to use role playing?
• Identify the situation.
• Add details.
• Assign roles.
• Act out the scenario.
• Discuss what you have learned
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Dealing with unfair criticism
It is a fact that everyone reacts so strongly to unjust criticism. One can manage
these type of situation by remaining calm, clarifying the situation etc. You can also
mention the misunderstanding which is the root cause for the situation
If your critic is still firm, then you might need some more time to get good
response. Try to appreciate his feedback and this presents you as
someone genuinely trying to do the best job possible – and places the
focus on future interactions.
Move on
politely
It will be better to open a real discussion of the critique. The usage of
certain phrases like "from my perspective", or, "I can see how you might
get that idea, but I probably haven't properly explained that." establishes
key element of the conversation. Now you are viewing things from his
perspective and now you'll give him the opportunity to return the favor
Open up
both
perspec-tive
Simply and calmly repeat your critic's complaints back to him. Making
steady eye contact and in a non-aggressive tone, say: "So, what you're
saying is.," The goal here is to take the focus away from any personality
clash, and place it squarely on substantive issues
Repeat the
points
Try to manage the situation by remaining calm. Couple of deep, quite
breaths will help you to settle down. Expressing anger or emotions will
only add fuel to the fire
Remain
calm
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Conflict resolution
Conflict in a workplace is a strong barrier for
team work. Conflict breaks cooperation and
the whole organization’s mission is threate-ned.
The good news is that by resolving
conflict successfully, you can solve many of
the problems that it has brought to the
surface, as well as getting benefits that you
might not at first expect:
Increased understanding
Increased group cohesion
Improved self-knowledge
In the 1970s Kenneth Thomas and Ralph
Kilmann identified five main styles of dealing
with conflict that vary in their degrees of
cooperativeness and assertiveness
Competitive Collaborative
Compromising Accommodating
Avoiding
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Conflict styles
Competitive
The people who have ‘competitive’ style are firm and know what they want.
They normally operate from a position of power. This style is applicable
when there is any urgency and decision needs to be taken immediately
Collaborative
The ‘collaborative’ style people try to meet the requirements of all the
people involved. These people can be highly assertive but unlike the
competitor, they cooperate effectively and acknowledge that everyone is
important. This style is useful when you bring various options/opinions to
find a solution
Compromising
These people find a solution to a problem which will at least satisfy
everyone to some extent. Compromise is useful when the cost of conflict is
higher than the cost of losing ground, when equal strength opponents are
at a standstill and when there is a deadline looming
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Conflict styles
Accommodating
These people try to meet the needs of others at the expense of the
person’s own needs. This style is useful in situations where peace is more
valuable than winning and issues matter more to the other party.
Avoiding
These people avoid the conflict entirely. It can be appropriate when victory
is impossible, when the controversy is trivial, or when someone else is in a
better position to solve the problem. However in many situations this is a
weak and ineffective approach to take
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Causes of conflict
According to psychologists Art Bell and Brett Hart, there are eight common causes of conflict in the workplace
• Conflicting resources
• Conflicting styles
• Conflicting perceptions
• Conflicting goals
• Conflicting pressures
• Conflicting roles
• Different personal values
• Unpredictable policies
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Dealing with unhappy customers/clients
Even we have dealt with so many
clients/customers like this and it’s
never easy to compromise them.
Let us now explore how to
deal with these angry
customers/ clients
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Adjust your mindset
Whenever you receive any complaint from customers or
if your client is unhappy, your first priority is to put
yourself into a customer service mindset
Listen actively
This is the most important step in the whole process.
Listen to what the customer/client is saying – he wants to
be heard to air his grievances
Repeat their concerns
After your customer/clients explains why he is unhappy,
repeat his concerns so that you are sure that you are
addressing the right issue
Be empathic and apologize
Once you hear the complaints from the customers or
clients, apologize and after you understand your
customer’s concern, be empathic.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Find a solution
After hearing the problem, you have to find a solution to
make your clients happy. There are 2 ways of doing this.
If you know what makes your customers happy then
explain them how you are going to do that. If they are
still unhappy then give them the power to resolve things.
Take action and follow-up
Once you've both agreed on a solution, you need to take
action immediately. Explain every step that you're going
to take to fix the problem to your client
Use feedback
This is the last step and also important one in the whole
process. This final process helps us to make sure that
the mistake does not happen once again.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communicating in a crisis
Whenever there is any crisis we try to get everything in normal mode. We try to protect both
our organization and ourselves. Communication does not stop when official communication
channels are shut down.
Communication can be full of rumor, innuendo, inconsistencies etc. The most important point
is that the trust of the employees and clients can be undermined and it can even damage the
long-term relationship
This is where the best thing to do in a crisis can be to communicate the facts and issues
surrounding them clearly, quickly and consistently.
In any case DON’T SHUT DOWN YOUR COMMUNICATION
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Handling criticism
Whenever we get criticized, we get anger.
Nobody is happy with negative feedback. Some
of us go out of the way to avoid negative
feedback. But, when we come with open mind,
we take criticism as a learning tool which helps
us to grow and become more effective. No one is
perfect, and criticism can contain valuable
feedback that can help you to see your
weaknesses, and perform better next time.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

The Johari window
The Johari Window is a communication model that can be
used to improve understanding between individuals within
a team or in a group setting. Based on disclosure, self-disclosure
and feedback, the Johari Window can also be
used to improve a group's relationship with other groups
There are 2 key ideas behind developing this
tool. They are:
• The individuals can trust others by disclosing information
about themselves
• That they can learn about themselves and come to terms
with personal issues with the help of feedback from others
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Explaining the Johari window
Known by self Unknown by self
Open area Blind area
Feedback
Shared
discovery
Self-disclosure
Self-discovery
Hidden area Unknown area
Known by
others
Tell
Unknown by
others
Ask
Open area: What is known by
the person about him/herself
and is also known by others
Blind area: What is unknown
by the person about him/
herself but which others know
Hidden area:
What the
person knows
about him/
herself that
others do not
Unknown area:
What the person
knows about
him/ herself that
others do not
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Concept attainment
Concept attainment is a group learning technique
which helps to understand important concepts and
ideas. This tool is used in the following areas
Customer support team – customer get a truly consistent,
good service, whoever they talk to.
Customer service team – only important issues are
escalated to the senior management
Sales team – team members consistently "deliver the brand"
as well as specific products to customers
With Wine tasters – Defining "taste vocabulary" so that
team members describe and grade wine consistently
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

The Betari box
My attitude
Affects Affects
When we have positive feeling, we
motivate others, we smile, we
empower. But at the same time when
we have negative feeling the opposite
happens. These behaviors affect us
and also people around us. They turn
those negative behaviors back on us
and the conflict gets worse
My behavior
Your attitude
Your behavior
Affects Affects
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Collaborative effort
"We didn't all come over on
the same ship, but we're all in
the same boat.“
- Bernard Baruch
Today’s workplace is rapidly becoming vast and
it becomes difficult to communicate to the
people who speak another language and who
rely on different means to reach a common goal
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Cross-cultural communication – The new norm
• The latest technology and internet have made us to promote
our business to new location and culture.
• It becomes easier for us to work with another person who is
remote location.
• As communication has become electronic, it has become easier
for a person to work with another person who is in another
country.
• Now, you can work with the most knowledgeable person in the
entire world.
• In this new world, good cross-cultural communication is a must
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Understanding cultural diversity
Due to different cultural contexts,
communication becomes more
challenging in the workplace.
Even when employees in different
locations speak the same
languages, there are some
cultural differences that should be
considered to make the
communication more clearer.
It has become mandatory to know
the culture and sub-culture
because understanding of cultural
diversity is the key for effective
cross-cultural communication
Without necessarily studying
individual cultures and languages
in detail, we must all learn how to
better communicate with
individuals and groups whose first
language, or language of choice,
does not match our own.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Developing awareness of individual cultures
In today’s business world knowing basic about culture and language which is spoken in that
country is important.
For instance, kissing a business associate is not considered an appropriate business practice in
the U.S., but in Paris, one peck on each cheek is an acceptable greeting. And, the handshake
that is widely accepted in the U.S. is not recognized in all other cultures.
Now the companies are offering training programs to employees in different cultures where the
company conducts business.. It is important that employees communicating across cultures
practice patience and work to increase their knowledge and understanding of these cultures
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Getting help whenever required
In case of language barriers, the best idea will
be to employ a reliable and experienced
translator.
Since English is not first language for many
countries the usage of English language will
be mixed with non-standard phrases or
culture-specific phrases.
The translator can help everyone involved to
recognize cultural and communication differences
and ensure that all parties, regardless of
geographic location and background, come
together and stay together through successful
project completion.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

The 7 dimensions of culture
Universalism
vs.
particularism
Individualism
vs.
communitarianism
Specific
vs.
diffuse
Neutral
vs.
emotional
Achievement
vs.
ascription
Sequential
time
vs.
Synchronous
time
Internal direction
vs.
Outer direction
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

(for example, appropriate hygiene and
handwashing, time/temperature, and
cleaning and sanitizing). But with high
turnover of employees, training has
become difficult and some new employees
are put right into the job without training.
Eventually, most employees get some kind
of food safety training. The owners of the
restaurant are supportive of Mishra in his
food safety efforts because they know if
they do not follow food safety measures
that will affect their business.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

One day Mishra comes to work and is rather upset even before he steps into the restaurant.
Things haven’t been going well at home and he was lucky to rummage through some of the
dirty laundry and find a relatively clean outfit to wear for work. He admits he needs a haircut
and a good hand scrubbing, especially after working on his car last evening. When he walks
into the kitchen he notices several trays of uncooked meat sitting out in the kitchen area. It
appears these have been sitting at room temperature for quite some time. Mishra is frustrated
and doesn’t know what to do. He feels like he is beating his head against a brick wall when it
comes to getting employees to practice food safety. Mishra has taken many efforts to get
employees to be safe in how they handle food. He has huge signs posted all over the kitchen
with these words: KEEP HOT FOOD HOT AND COLD FOOD COLD and WASH YOUR
HANDS ALWAYS AND OFTEN. All employees are given a thermometer when they start so that
they can temp food. Hand sinks, soap, and paper towels are available for employees so that
they are encouraged to wash their hands frequently.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Questions
• What are the communication challenges and barriers
Mishra faces?
• What solutions might Mishra consider in addressing each
of these challenges and barriers?
• What Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) would be
helpful for Mishra to implement and enforce?
• What are some ways Mishra might use effective
communication as a motivator for employees to follow
safe food handling practices?
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Notes to supplement answers
• Language barriers: not all employees speak English as their first language
making verbal communication a challenge at times.
• Generational (age) barriers: having employees in various age categories can
pose a unique set of challenges. While the younger generation is used to
texting and using shortened messaging, their vocabulary may not be
consistent with that of older employees. Work values and attitudes may also
affect communication between younger and older employees.
• Cultural and ethnic barriers: Cultural differences in food safety practices may
be a challenge for Mishra to overcome.
• Non verbal challenges: Mishra’s body language (appearance) is telling others
he does not care about personal appearance and cleanliness.
• Emotional barriers: Emotional barriers can interfere with effective
communication. Mishra comes into work after a rough start at home. These
negative emotions are affecting how he communicates with the employees.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Notes to supplement answers
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) serve as the written documentation of
best practices and serves as the framework for organizational policy and
structure. SOPs identify the who, what, why, when, and how of foodservice
practices for employees. Part of the supervisor’s role is to assure SOPs are in
place, communicated to employees, and followed. For this case, two helpful
SOPs would be:
New Employee Orientation SOP: Due to time constraints of “busy days” and
high turnover, Mishra currently finds orienting new employees to be a challenge.
Although it may take time at the beginning, the pay off may be great and save
time in the long run.
Employee Health and Personal Hygiene SOP: Although SOPs are generally
intended for employees, it is important to note that as role models,
supervisors/managers should generally adhere to operational SOPs. Mishra’s
own lack of adherence to personal hygiene standards indirectly tells employees
that appearance and hygiene are not important. Mishra’s own personal hygiene
and appearance should serve as an example to employees – clean, unwrinkled
clothing, clean hands, free from grease and dirt with neatly trimmed hair are a
must for Mishra to be a motivator for his employees to have good appearance
and hygiene. At present, his non verbal communication is telling them personal
hygiene and appearance is not important.
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Conclusion
Communication comes in many different
forms. It can be either written, verbal, non-verbal
and communication can also come
in the form of technology.
Regardless to how you may look at it, you
as the message sender will need to send
your message in a clear and positive
manner in order to be effective in this
competitive world of communication
Copyright © 2008 - 2012

Communication barriers

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