Ba rrie rs of Effe ctive

Communica tion

Introduction
It is to be remembered that every
communication is not successful. There are
several factors that can prevent the
communication from becoming successful.
The factors responsible for rendering
the communication ineffective are known
as the Barriers to communication.

Barriers can be generally divided into four

broad categories:
a)
b)
c)
d)

Physical or mechanical Barriers

Semantic or Language Barriers
Socio-Psychological Barriers
Cultural Barriers
Let us take these barriers at
length and also discuss ways to overcome
the barriers.

A. Physical Barriers
or Mechanical
Barriers
Physical or Mechanical Barriers are those barriers
that create obstacles for the sender to send the
message and for the Receiver to receive the
message.
These are external barriers on which largely
speaking, the sender and the receiver do not
have much control.
For example: If two people are conversing in a
noisy atmosphere, then the receiver will not be
able to hear properly and the sender will not get
ant feedback.

An understanding of such barriers is therefore

vital as their removal will facilitate the
communication process.

I. Noise:

Noise is the most common

barrier to effective communication.

I.

At the workplace, oral communication

becomes very difficult if there is shouting or
loud conversation is being carried on.

2. Time and Distance

Time and distance act as barriers to the
smooth flow of communication.
Modern communication equipment like
telephones, mobile phones, internet and
teleconferencing have reduced the
distance.
Physical distance between the sender and
the receiver delays the message to be
communication.

B. Semantic Barriers
The dictionary meaning of the word

semantics tells us that it is the branch of

linguistics concerned with meanings.
sometimes one word can have various
meanings; in such case unless the context in
which the word has been used is clarified its
real meaning and reference will not be
understood.
Such barriers need to be understood thoroughly
so as to avoid confusion.

1. Interpretation of

words
Language is our most important
and powerful tool of communication;
and yet it
is a tricky
tool which
requires
Words
1 meaning
2 meaning
skilful handling.
st

1) Spring
2) Check
3) Change

season
To examine
expense

nd

to jump
To control
duty

2. Technical Jargon
Technical Jargon/terms can be a barrier to
communication. Such terms are limited to
the group of persons who work together, or
work in the same kind of occupation; they
need to use technical terms in their work.
A bull or bear do not mean the animals
per se, but the brokers and type of trading
they indulge in. for someone who is not
associated or familiar with the stock
exchange , to understand such words will
become a problem.

3. Idioms and Phrases

Phrases can be more tricky. For example, a
red and a blue carpet signifies two carpets;
one red and one blue; whereas a red and
blue carpet signifies one carpet in two
colours.
The speaker has more scope to convey his
meaning by putting force/emphasis on
specific words while speaking. But in written
communication, the reader is in control and
he/she may attach a totally different
meaning to the given word.

C.Psycho- Sociological
Barriers.
Every human being has his own feelings,
desires, hopes, fears , likes and dislikes,
attitudes, views and opinions.
These form a certain behavioral pattern
and a framework in the mind of the individual
which he refers to while responding to a
particular message.

Cultural Barriers
Each cultural group has beliefs and practices

regarding health and illness.

Some cultures believe the body needs
balance-if the body is cold, they eat hot foods.
Some cultures believe illness is due to
demons and evil.
Some cultures believe health is a reward from
God, and illness is punishment from God.

Cultural diversity may interfere with

communication in other ways:
Language differences-people who dont speak

English may have a difficult time

communicating. You should:
a. Speak slowly.
b. Use nonverbal communication
(smile).
c. Avoid tendency to speak louder.
d. Find an interpreter.

Cultural Barriers Cont.

Eye contact- in some cultures, its not

acceptable , and looking down is a sign of

respect.
Terminal illness- in some cultures, the patient
is NOT told his/her prognosis, and family
members are responsible for making care
decisions.
Touch- in some cultures, it is wrong to touch
someone on the head.
Personal care-in some cultures, only family
members provide personal care.
Respect and acceptance of cultural
diversity is essential for effective

Strategies for Overcoming Language

Barriers
1. Speak slowly and clearly.
Focus on clearly enunciating and slowing down your
speech. Even if youre pressured for time, dont rush
through your communication. Doing so often takes
more time, as miscommunication and
misunderstanding can result and youll ultimately
have to invest additional time in clearing up the
confusion.
2. Ask for clarification.
If you are not 100% sure youve understood what

others say, politely ask for clarification. Avoid

assuming youve understood whats been said.

Strategies for Overcoming Language

Barriers
3. Frequently check for understanding.
Check both that youve understood whats been said and that
others have fully understood you. Practice reflective listening to
check your own understanding (e.g. 'So what I hear you saying
is') and use open-ended questions to check other peoples
understanding. Ask, 'what's your understanding of this process?'
instead of 'is that clear?'
4. Avoid idioms
. Business language is often contextual, and therefore culture

specific. For example, in the US, baseball terms are used

extensively: Straight off the Bat, Ballpark figures, Out in left
field, Touch base, Strike a deal. As a good general rule, if the
phrase requires knowledge of other information be it a game or
metaphorrecognize that this may make your communication
more difficult to be understood.

Strategies for Overcoming Language

Barriers
5. Be careful of jargon.
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 to use the same language you do.
6. Define the basics of business
. In international business contexts terms such as:

success, doneness, meetings, punctuality, etc. may

mean different things to different people. Spend time
early in your communication defining what these mean
to you and others. Invest in building a shared vocabulary.

Strategies for Overcoming Language

Barriers
7. Be specific.
Spell out your expectations and deadlines clearly. Instead
of, Please get back to me shortly, say Please email the
completed report by 5 pm Eastern Standard time on
Wednesday, February 21.
8. Choose your medium of communication effectively.
Carefully choose your form of communication (phone or

video conference, email, instant message, etc.). Be

mindful not to overuse email. While useful, there are
times when the medium is likely to be ineffective. When a
message is complex and complicated or there is tension
or conflict that needs to be resolved, switch to another
medium.

Strategies for Overcoming Language

Barriers
9. Provide information via multiple channels.
Follow phone calls with emails that summarize
whats been said. When possible, provide
presentations, agendas, etc. in advance so those
working in their non-native language can get
familiar with materials.
10. Be patient.
Cross-cultural communication takes more time. If

not at all times, certainly initially you cannot expect

your communication to occur with the same speed
and ease as when you are communicating with
someone from your own culture.