Barriers to

Communication
Noise in the Communication
Process
Success of Communication
Communication is successful only when the
receiver understands the message intended by
the sender.
Effective Communication occurs when sender
obtains intended results from the receiver.
So UNDERSTANDING is the goal achieved in
any successful communication.

Success of Communication (contd)
Effective communication is difficult to
achieve as it involves other aspects of
behaviour like motivation, leadership,
persuasion, and power.
Further, effective communication implies
good communication but good
communication itself does not ensure
effective communication
Barriers to Effective
Communication


Since the communication process is complex,
distortions can take place at every stage.
Barriers to Effective
Communication (contd)
For the purpose of convenience, we will
categorize these as
Sender Related

Situation Related

Receiver Related

Communication Barriers
Five types of communication barriers:
Perceptual and Language---Perception is a
persons individual interpretation of the sensory
world---The more experiences you share,the
greater the understanding

Restrictive/Authoritarian management---Can
block/distort/fragment communication
Communication Barriers (contd)
Distractions---Physical/Emotional

Deceptive Tactics---Leads to failure

Information Overload


Nonmechanical and
Nonsemantic Barriers

Assumptions

Fears
Reluctance to
confront
Ridicule,
rejection, fear of
being wrong

Nonmechanical and Nonsemantic
Barriers (contd)
Authority relationships

Unmanaged stress

Corporate culture


Psychological Barriers
To help messages move more smoothly
at the workplace avoid the
following:
Allness:
Avoid the use of words like
always, never, nobody
Conveys a know-it-all attitude.
In receiver---an all-knowing
attitude,
Listener doesnt listen to sender.
So sender thinks receiver is
dogmatic.
Psychological Barriers
Allness (contd):

Sender groups all his receivers in one category
about which he presumes to know every thing.

Uses words like everyone, all, never, etc.

Psychological Barriers
Allness (contd)
Allness results in arrogance and
closemindedness.
SOLUTIONQualify abstract or
categorical statements with phrases like
in most cases, probably. Label
opinions with phrases like it seems to
me


Psychological Barriers (contd)
Blindering:
Putting blinders on your
perception.
Involves rigid categorising.
People use it when they are
puzzled about a particular
problem,
Blindering (contd):
Adopt a one size fits all solution.
Skips an important step in problem solving
namely, seeking innovations.

SOLUTION: Never rely only on old
solutions to new problems

Psychological Barriers (contd)
Psychological Barriers (contd)
Fact-Inference Confusion:
Jumping to conclusions based
on inferences.
Failure to distinguish between
fact and inference.
Inferences need not be illogical.
They need to be verified.
Fact Inference Confusion (contd):
SOLUTION:
Find evidences for your inferences.
Use qualifiers like in my opinion,
evidence suggests, etc.


Psychological Barriers (contd)
Psychological Barriers (contd)
Polarization:
Viewing things as if only two
alternatives exist even when
others do exist.
This logical fallacy is also
called either/or, yes/no,
them/us, black/white
SOLUTION: Accept that other
solutions also exist
Psychological Barriers (contd)
Frozen Evaluation:
Form of resistance to change.
A judgement set in concrete
Occurs when one forgets the
process of change.
Frozen Evaluation (contd):
SOLUTION :
Apply the when index. It helps one to
consider change in ones evaluations, and
to distinguish between various phases of
time/situations.

Psychological Barriers (contd)
Psychological Barriers (contd)
Premature Evaluation:
Very close to poor listening.
Prematurely evaluating the
speakers message.
Listening without hasty
judgements can make the
whole organization more
effective.
SOLUTION:Hear the person
fully before judging
Psychological Barriers (contd)
Thelamic Reaction:
Tendency of people to react to information
without allowing brain to consider and
weigh the words that are spoken
Letting emotions take control
SOLUTION:
Withhold evaluation before
comprehension.
First think before speaking

Psychological Barriers (contd)
Selective Perception:
Receiver selectively
hears/sees information
based on own needs,
experience, background,
and individual traits.
Projects own interests and
expectation into the
message whilst decoding.
Selective Perception (contd):
Intended meaning is distorted
Receiver ends up ignoring other relevant
information.
Understanding dependant on his perceptual
world.
Results in rejection of new ideas and ignoring
information that conflicts with what they already
believe.
SOLUTION: Be open to new ideas

Psychological Barriers (contd)
Ten Commandments Of Good
Communication
Seek to clarify ideas before
communicating
Examine the true purpose of each
communication
Consider the total physical &
human setting whenever you
communicate
Ten Commandments Of Good
Communication (contd)
Consult others, wherever appropriate, in
planning communications
Be mindful, while you communicate, of the
overtones as well as the basic content of
your message.
Take the opportunity to convey something
of value to the receiver


Ten Commandments of Good
Communication (contd)
Follow up your
communication
Communicate for
tomorrow as well as
today
Be sure your actions
support your
communications
Be a good listener
The End