2. Introduction
Communication (from Latin commūnicāre,
meaning "to share") is the activity of
conveying information through the exchange of
thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech,
visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. It is the
meaningful exchange of information between two
or more living creatures.
Communication is “any act by which one person
gives to or receives from another person
information about that person's needs, desires,
perceptions, knowledge, or affective states.
4. Essentials of effective
communication
A common communication environment
Cooperation between the sender and the receiver
Selection of an appropriate channel
Correct encoding and decoding of the message
Receipt of the desired response and feedback
6. Barriers to
communicationA barrier acts like a sieve, allowing
only a part of the message to filter
through; as a result, the desired
response is not achieved. To
communication smoothly and
effectively in an organization,
irrespective of your position, you
need to know how the barriers
operate, why they cause
misunderstandings and how to
mitigate their negative impact.
7. Classification of
barriers
Even with the best intentions, communication
barriers crop up and our written and spoken messages
are misunderstood. These barriers are classified at three
levels according to the process of conversation:
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Organizational
8. INTRAPERSONAL BARRIERS
Each of us interpret the same information in different ways as
our thinking varies. Certain causes that are responsible for these
intrapersonal barriers are:
Wrong assumptions
Varied perceptions
Differing background
Wrong inferences
Impervious categories
Categorical thinking
9. Wrong assumptions
Wrong assumptions are
generally made when the
sender or receiver does not
have adequate knowledge
about each other’s
background or entertains
certain false notations, which
are fixed in their mind.
For example(see the image):
Take medicine
only SOS
10. Varied Perceptions
Individuals in an organization
perceive situations in different
ways.
If you are biased tone of your
close friends, you may perceive
your friends arguments as correct
and may not be able to
appreciate his opponents point of
view.
To overcome this take a step back
and take a wider perspective of
the issue.
11. Differing backgrounds
Our background plays a significant
role in how we intercept the message.
At times, something not experienced
by you earlier will be difficult to
intercept or appreciate.
To enhance your communication skills,
it is necessary to know the
background of your audience.
Empathy or identification with another
person is the solution to this barrier.
12. To sum up, good
communicators should:
Be non-judgmental
Be empathetic
Not assume anything
Stick to the subject
Listen and above all paraphrase
13. INTRAPERSONAL BARRIERS
Interpersonal barriers occur due to the inappropriate transaction
of words between two or more people.
The most common reasons for interpersonal barriers are:
Limited vocabulary
Incongruity of verbal and nonverbal messages
Emotional outbursts
Communication selectivity
Cultural variations
Poor listening skills
Noise in the channel
14. Limited vocabulary
An adequate vocabulary can be a
major hindrance in communication.
At times your pen falters, or your tongue
fumbles as you search for the exact word
or phrase
During your speech, if you are at a loss
for words, your communication will be
very ineffective, and you will leave a
poor impression on the audience.
Therefore, one should make constant
efforts to increase one’s vocabulary.
15. Incongruity of verbal and
non verbal messages
Generalizations, based on assumptions
about physical appearance or dress can
also lead to serve communication
barriers.
Physical appearance often serves as
one of the most important non-verbal
cues. First impressions regarding people
are made on the basis of physical
appearance.
16. Poor listening skills
Listening and hearing is not the same.
The various distractions that hinder
listening can be emotional
disturbances, indifference,
aggressiveness, and wandering
attention.
This can be avoided by paying proper
attention through nonverbal
responses.
Do not jump to conclusions hastily, but
maintain your composure and allow
the speaker to finish before
interpreting his message.
17. Noise in the channel
Noise is any unwanted signal
which acts as a hindrance in
the flow of communication.
It is not necessarily limited to
cacophony, but can also
occur in visual, audio-visual,
written, physical, or
psychological forms.
19. Organizational Barriers
Irrespective of size, all organizations have communication policies which
describe the protocol that usually causes communication barriers.
In organizations with many communication levels, messages have a
greater chance of being distorted. This occurs due to poor listening, lack
of concentration or a persons tendency to leave out part of the
message.
The main organizational barriers are enumerated below:
• Too many transfer stations
• Fear of the superiors
• Negative tendencies
• Use of inappropriate media
• Information overload
20. Too Many Transfer Stations &
Fear Of Superiors
Messages gets distorted in huge organizations,
with several layers of communication channels
bcoz of poor listening or lack of concentration
and several other reasons.
Transfer stations do serve a purpose, but having
too many of them is counter productive.
In rigidly structured organizations, fear of the
superiors prevents subordinates from speaking
frankly.
To avoid speaking directly to their boss, some
employees may either shun all communication
with their superiors.
21. Use Of Inappropriate Media &
Information Overload
Usually a mix of media is the best for
effective communication.
The telephone for instance would not
be an ideal medium for conveying
confidential information. Such
messages are best conveyed in
person or by speed post.
One of the major problems faced by
organizations is the huge amount of
information which the receiver is
unable to handle efficiently. This is
known as information overload.
22. Tips for effective
communication
Create an open communication environment
Always keep the receiver in mind
Avoid having too many transfer stations
Do not communicate when you are emotionally
disturbed
Be aware of changes
Analyze the feedback