Bachelor of Business Barriers to effective communication Effective

Bachelor of Business Barriers to effective communication

Effective communication • Effective- people must be able to express themselves clearly and understand each other. • Ineffective- when barriers stop people from expressing themselves or understanding others.

Defining: Communication barrier Perfect and complete communication does not take place because of certain obstacles or other factors known as Communication barriers.

4 Defining: Communication barrier • Aspects of or conditions in a work place that interfere with effective exchange of ideas or thought.

Understanding: Communication barrier • There a lot of causes of misunderstanding and misinterpretations of message communicated. • As the process of communication involves sender, channels and receiver, the problem of communication usually lies with either one or more of them.

Barriers of communication: Types 1. Physical Barriers 6. Interpersonal Barriers 2. Organisational Barriers 7. Individual Barriers 3. Cultural Barriers 8. Mechanical Barriers 4. Language Barriers 9. Psychological Barriers (Semantic) 5. Channel Barriers 10. Listening and speaking

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Physical Barriers • Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment and individual • Includes both external and internal environment:

9 Physical Barriers Competing Stimulus: Another conversation (within hearing distance), loud music, traffic noise (in the background), crows cawing, plane overhead - can drown message.

10 Physical Barriers Environmental Stress High temperature plus humidity, poor ventilation, vibrations felt, strong glare can contribute to distractions (in sending and receiving messages).

Physical Barriers Ignorance of Medium Use of a medium, which the communicator is not familiar with could turn the medium itself into barrier (e. g. maps, charts used to instruct workers who have not been taught to read maps will alienate workers immediately).

Physical Barriers Subjective Stress Sleeplessness, ill health, effects of drugs, mood variations give rise to stress, leading to difficulty in listening and interpretation

Organisational Barriers In business communication, obstacles occur because of organisational barriers. The obstacles could be: Size of the organisations Physical distance between employees

Organisational Barriers Power struggles, status of relationships Specialization of jobs, activities

Organisational Barriers Defensiveness, distorted perceptions, guilt, distortions from past Misleading body language

Organisational Barriers Prejudices Interpersonal relationships (individual or groups)

Organisational Barriers Poor organisational culture, climate Outdated equipments

Stringent rules and regulations

Cultural Barriers • Culture shapes the way we think and behave. • Barriers arises when individuals in one social group have developed different norms, values, or behaviors to individuals associated with another group. • Cultural difference leads to difference in interest, knowledge, value, and tradition.

Cultural Barriers Cultural Differences • Basic motives, values, assumptions and aspirations that operate across geographical lines

Language Barriers • Also known as Semantic Barriers. • Different languages, vocabulary, accents, dialects represent national/regional barriers • Semantic gaps are words having similar pronunciation but multiple meanings.

Language Barriers • Badly expressed message- wrong interpretation and unqualified assumptions • The use of difficult or inappropriate words/ poorly explained or misunderstood messages can result in confusion When same language is used in different cultures, it takes another colour. 1. Same words can possess myriad meanings 2. communication is carried out through translation- more probability in misunderstanding

23 Channel Barriers GXEX 1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 2 Oral Communication • Length of the communication • Inappropriate medium selected • Lack of interest • Problems with the medium (eg: Information sharing or access problemshampering the channel) • May result in interpersonal conflicts

24 Interpersonal Barriers • Lack of trust • Lack of knowledge of non-verbal communication • Fear of losing power of control • Lack of motivation • Lack of co-operation • Poor relationship

25 Individual Barriers • Individual’s perceptual and personal discomfort • Non-identical perceptions • Style • Selective perception • Halo effect • Poor attention and retention • Defensiveness • Close mindedness • Insufficient filtration

Mechanical Barriers Perpetual Biases: • People react to stimuli in very different ways • Leads to stereotyping, projection and selffulfilling prophecies.

Mechanical Barriers Impersonal Relationships • Our perception is prejudiced by the past experience. • E. g. Communication from a superior may be perceived differently than that from a subordinate or peer.

Psychological Barriers Self Image • People establish their point of view, and interpret messages in accordance with their self concepts. • Interpret 'reality' in the light of these pre-conceived notions

Psychological Barriers Resistance to change “The risk of being changed is one of the most frightening prospects many of us can face” • Human tendency to resist change and new ideas.

Psychological Barriers Defensiveness and fear • Allied to the barrier raised by a ‘resistance to change’. • One of man’s most compelling needs is to justify himself. • Together with connected emotions of nervousness, anxiety and tension, fear is the most restricting of all effects, resulting often in 'tunnel vision'.

Listening Barriers • Listening • Interrupting the speaker • Eye contact not maintained • Rushing the speaker • Distractions • Getting ahead of the speaker • Ignoring the speaker’s request • Too many questions • Making the speaker feel as he/she is wasting the time of listener

32 Speaking Barriers • Speaking • Unclear message • Lack of consistency • Incomplete sentences • Not courteous and lack of consideration • Not seeking feedback/clarification

33 Any questions? ? ?

Reference • http: //www. authorstream. com/Presentation/srikurma-1370569 -ppt-ofbarriers-communication/ • http: //my. safaribooksonline. com/book/medicine/9789332501461/chapte r-1 -review-of-communication-process/ch 1_7_xhtml • http: //www. authorstream. com/Presentation/a. SGuest 72963 -609042 barriers-to-effective-communication/ • http: //www. slideshare. net/forckren/5 -barriers-to-effectivecommunication

35 GXEX 1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 2 Oral Communication