COMMON BARRIERS TO

COMMUNICATION

1. SEMANTICS

Definition of words

Choice of words

COMMON BARRIERS TO
COMMUNICATION
2. POOR CHOICE, USE OF CHANNELS

When to use certain channel

Oral alone:
Simple reprimand
Settle simple dispute

Written alone:
Dont need immediate feedback
Need record

COMMON BARRIERS TO
COMMUNICATION

2. USE OF CHANNELS
Both channels:
Commendation
Serious reprimand
Important policy change

Nonverbal
Be aware of it.

COMMON BARRIERS TO
COMMUNICATION

3. PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONS
4. NOISE, PHYSICAL,
PSYCHOLOGICAL
5. STATUS DIFFERENCE
6. EFFECTS OF EMOTIONS

COMMON BARRIERS TO
COMMUNICATION

7. PERCEPTIONS
Stereotypes
Halo effects
Selective perception
See and hear what we expect
Ignore if conflicts with what we know.

Projection

COMMON BARRIERS TO
COMMUNICATION

8. FILTERING, SCREENING
NEGATIVE INFORMTAION
9. EVALUATING THE SOURCE
10.ABSENCE OF FEEDBACK,
POOR FEEDBACK

COMMON BARRIERS TO
COMMUNICATION

11. INFORMATION, DATA

OVERLOAD
12. POOR LISTENING
LISTEN TO RESPOND
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

TO OVERCOME BARRIERS:
Learn to use feedback well.
Be sensitive to receivers point of view.
Listen to UNDERSTAND!
Use direct, simple language, or at least use
language appropriate to the receiver.
Use proper channel(s). Learn to use channels
well.
Learn to use supportive communication, not
defensive communication.

LISTENING WITH...
EXPERIENCE
WHAT WE KNOW
BIASES
STEREOTYPES
PERCEPTIONS
EMOTIONS

LISTENING
LISTEN TO RESPOND
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
1. RESTATE/REPEAT
2. PARAPHRASE
3. REFLECT FEELING
4. PARAPHRASE CONTENT AND
REFLECT FEELING
5. SAY NOTHING

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
Before I can walk in
another persons shoes,
I must remove my own.
Unknown

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
ASSUMES WIN-WIN

1. ASK PERMISSION
2. ESTIMTE TIME LIMIT
3. STATE BOUNDARIES
STATE WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

4. USE RESPECT, GENTLENESS

5. USE COURAGE

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
ASSUMES WIN-WIN
HIGH

RESPECT

LOW
LOW

COURAGE

HIGH

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
ASSUMES WIN-WIN

BE DIRECT
BE CLEAR
BE SPECIFIC
BE HONEST
BE RESPECTFUL
BE TACTFUL
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR YOURSELF

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
WHEN YOU ..
(State observed action.)

I FEEL
(State feeling.)

BECAUSE I THINK ..
(Thought that causes the feeling.)

AND I WOULD LIKE ..

(Request for positive action.)

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
When you meet me an hour after you
said you would
I feel angry and hurt
Because I think you dont care much
about my job demands
And I would like you to call when you are
going to be late.

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
YOURE AN HOUR LATE!
YOU MAKE ME ANGRY!
YOURE ALWAYS LATE!
YOU DONT CARE ABOUT MY
TIME/FEELINGS!
YOU MAKE ME SICK!

NOT LISTENING?
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL RESPONSES:
PROBE
GIVE ADVICE
EVALUATE
INTERPRET

UNDERSTANDING?
I

KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN

KNOW WHAT I
I

MEAN?

HEAR YOU

IVE

BEEN THERE!

YOU

UNDERSTAND ME?

YOU

HEAR WHAT I SAID?

YOU

KNOW WHAT TO DO?

KNOW WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT.

FIXING = LISTENING?
DONT FEEL BAD.
DONT CRY.
DONT BE UPSET.
YOU SAY THAT BUT YOU
ALWAYS DO WELL.

Ten Rules for Good Listening

Rule Listening
1. Stop talking

Reasoning Behind the Rule

You cannot listen if you are
talking.

2. Put the person at ease

Help a person feel free to talk;

create a permissive environment.

3. Show the person you

want to listen

Look and act interested; listen to

understand, not to oppose.

4.Remove distractions

Dont doodle, tap, or shuffle

papers; shut the door if necessary
to achieve quiet.

Ten Rules for Good Listening

Rule Listening

Reasoning Behind the Rule

5. Empathize

Try to see the other persons

point of view.

6. Be patient

Allow plenty of time; do not

interrupt; dont start for the
door or walk away.

7. Hold your temper

An angry person takes the wrong

meaning from words.

Ten Rules for Good Listening

Rule Listening

Reasoning Behind the Rule

8.Go easy on argument

and criticism

Dont put people on the defensive

and cause them to clam up or
become angry; do not argueeven if you win, you lose.

9. Ask questions

This encourages a person and

shows that you are listening; it
helps to develop points further.

10. Stop talking

This is first and last, because all

other guides depend on it; you
cannot listen effectively while you
are talking.

Source: Adapted from Human Behavior at Work, Fifth Edition, by Keith Davis. 1977.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION

1.ChannelsCongruent.
Verbalandnonverbal
channelsmustagree.

Incongruent.Oh,doI
seemupset?No,everything
isfinewhileobviously
upset.

2.Descriptive.Thisiswhat
happenedandthisishowI
feltaboutit.Idliketosuggest
analternativethatwouldbe
moreacceptable.

Evaluative.Youare
wrongfordoingwhatyou
did.

3.Problemoriented.How
canwesolvethisproblem?

Personoriented.Why
areyousoslow?

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION

4.Specific.IfeltlikeIdidnot
getequaltimetocovermy
materialinthatpresentation.

Global.Youarealways
seekingalltherecognition
forourwork.

5.Owned.Ihavedecided
toturndownyourrequest
because

Notowned.Youhavea
prettygoodidea,butyou
knowhowitisinthis
organizationeveryone
cantgeteverythingthey
want.

6.Validating.Thatisan
interestingsuggestion.

Notvalidating.Icant
believeyoucouldthinksuch
athing.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION

7.Equalityoriented.Ihave
someideas,butdoyouhave
anysuggestions?

Superiorityoriented.
Yoursuggestionisdumb.
Thisisthewaytohandlethis
problem.

8.Flexible.Ihavesome
questions,butletsexplore
itfurther.

Closedminded.What
evermadeyouthinkthat
wouldwork?

9.Appropriatelyintimate.
Sincewehaveknowneach
otheralongtime,Idlike
totellyouhowIfeelabout
ourrelationship.

Overbearingoraloof.
Iknowwejustmet,butI
reallyneedtotellyou
somethingpersonal.

ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
STRUCTURE SHOULD FACILITATE,
NOT HINDER
MANAGE INFORMATION FLOW
CLIMATE INFLUENCES
INTERGROUP INTERACTIONS,
BARRIERS?
USE GRAPEVINE

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
.
.
.
.

. .

.
Y

WHEEL, STAR

CENTRALIZED

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
.

.
.

CIRCLE

.
.

ALL CHANNEL
DECENTRALIZED

COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
SIMPLE
TASKS

COMPLEX
TASKS

CIRCLE
ALL CHANNEL

Y
WHEEL
STAR
SLOW
LESS ACCURATE

Y
WHEEL
STAR

CIRCLE
ALL CHANNEL

FASTER
MORE ACCURATE