CHAPTER Barriers to Communication Noise as a Barrier Types of Barriers Physical and Mechanical Barriers Language or Semantic Barriers Socio-Psychological Barriers Organisational Barriers Personal Barriers Gateways to Effective Communication Principles of Effective Communication ‘The term "barrier’ means *hurdle’, *hindrance’ or ‘obstacle’. Thus, barriers to communica- tion imply hurdles or obstacles on the way of transmission of message from the sender to the receiver. In practice, there exist several barriers in communication which render it ineffective. They generate confusion, conflict and misunderstanding in the organisation by creating bottlenecks, delays and distortions of information. Several organisational problems relating to smooth working and human relations exist today in the enterprises because of these barriers, Sometimes, barriers tend to distort the message and create friction among the organisational members and also adversely affect the morale of the employees as well as are injurious to team-work. Some other reasons may be responsible for the complete breakdown in communication, A large number of organisational problems are caused by barriers to communication. It is essential to find out such barriers and take steps to remove them for the accomplishment of effective communication. : 3.1(BN owe As A canner “stoige” is the disruption or interference in communication process anywhere algn, #8 shown it Pig. 3.1. It can occur at any point in the communication process, Nt be the sound of someone coughing, a truck driving by, or two people talking close Oise tt cans alo include disruptions such as a letter being lost in the mail (either traditi hy ectromic), a telephone fine going dead, or one of the participants in a Conversation called away before the communication process is completed. Feactack coeeerreee ns | Noss Noise may arise because a manager is not able to express himself well; attention; Kistenier is not on the message; memos are poorly written and thus are hard to read. Howex if comnemarsication is two-way, communicator may determine if the message has been receiv: and if it has produced intended response. (ME tres oF BARRIERS Various kinds of barriers to communication may be classified as under : 1. Physical and mechanical barriers 2. Language or semantic barriers. 4, Socio-psychological barriers. 4, Organisational barriers. 5. Personal barriers. Physical and | [ Language Socio- Organisational Personal Mechanical || or Semantic Phychological Barriers Barriers Barriers Barriers Barriers [BS Zipper ot Bares ——antPHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL BARRIERS sical and mechanical barriers may be caused by noise, distance, time and informa- \} hy: \\ The P! " \ oa overload. These are discussed below : () Noise : Communication does not occur in totally noise-free environment. Noise, \ fe though of varying degree, disturbs or interferes with communication. Due to higher \ level of noise in telephone some time irrelevant information may be screened out \ and some time relevant information may be left out. Adverse weather conditions and faulty tele-communication system are the other most common barriers. Noise due to heavy traffic machines, human sounds, construction/demolition works, fans etc. make communication difficult. Whatever that distracts the receiver's attention causes communication breakdown. Noise can be physical and psychological. Physical disturbances or distractions—such as gossip, loud speakers etc. draw the attention of the receiver while psychological noise is related to the mental disturbance—ego clash, pre occupied thoughts, hang-over, fatigue, anxiety, preconceived ideas, etc. All such noises lead to miscommunication and steps need be taken to minimise them. (i Distance : Long distances between the senders and receivers can also obstruct effective communication. If sender and receiver are separated by geographical distances, tele- communication is most often resorted to—disturbance in telephone connection can result in miscommunication or incomplete communication. (ii) Time : Time refers to the reaching of the message. If an important message reaches late it is sure to affect communication. For instance, factories have shift systems. Persons working in different shifts fail to communicate due to time gap. (iv) Information Overload : It refers to excessive transmission of information. Much more information than what the receiver can process is transmitted to him. The receiver cannot understand, digest, analyse and act upon information overload that is beyond his mental capacity. It results in various problems: (@) Receivers may not act upon a part of the information, which may be an import- ant one. (®) They may make errors in processing excessive information. (0) If they wish to be accurate, they may delay the processing of information. () Physical Barriers ; Outdated machines and equipment may produce excessive noise leading to physical barriers in communication. Further, distraction, like background noise, poor lighting, too cold or too hot weather, etc. affect the morale of the employees and also obstruct effective communication. (vi) Use of Words with Different Meanings : Communication is mainly carried through spoken and written words. But the words used may convey different meanings to different people. For example, the word ‘tube’ may mean a fluorescent tube, a cycle tube, or a water tube. When the reader or listener assigns a different meaning to a word than what the writer or speaker intended, there occurs miscommunication. RRIERS TO COMMUNICATIONJy due to differences in their economy, ic People interpret the same word different] For example, the word ‘cost’ may on cultural and educational backgrounds. I of production to the production manager, ag, expenditure to the finance manager and 80 on, notations ; Words have two types of meanings— 4, (vi) Denotations and Cot f t ; i and connotative. The literal meaning of a word is known by its denotative p, f It just names the object without suguesting positive and negative qualia 4 Computer are some examples of denotative Words, s, Book, Chair, Table and t other hand, connotative words like honest, punctual, competent and cheap qualitative judgements. Some of these words like honest and competent have pa connotations, Other words like cheap and selfish have negative connotation, certain wonds have both positive and negative connotations in different content: P such wond is ‘cheap’, For example, the purchase manager tells the office manag, ‘ purchased this table very cheap”. Here the purchase manager wants to cony e : he has paid lower price for the table (positive connotation). But the office ia perceives the table to be of lower or cheaper quality (negative connotation, 2 might cause misunderstanding between the two. [ERI LANGUAGE OR SEMANTIC BARRIERS as. People of different levels undersie Language is the carrier of all information and ide: write and speak differently. A speech or statement given in English may not be unders; by many of the employees in a factory. The language having the use of mathematic: symbols and abbreviations, or self-coined words may not be understood by the recipies In such cases, the communicator should use the language and words mostly used and eas} understood by the receivers. Sometimes, loosely structured message may also render communication ineffecix Lack of coherence, errors of omission and commission in sentence construction, use ¢ jangons and such other deficiencies mar the meaning and message of communication. Jute thinking can corrupt the language used, the latter can also corrupt thinking. The most common types of semantic barriers are as follows : () Unclear Message : Lack of clarity and precision in a message makes it bad expressed. Poorly chosen and empty words and phrases, careless omission, bi of coherence, bad organisation of ideas, awkward sentence structure, inadequ vocabulary, platitudes, numbing repetition jargon, failure to clarify implications * some common faults found in this case. Words or Symbols with Multiple Meanings. A word may have se receiver has to percieve one such meaning for the word used for the comm For example, the word ‘value’ may be used in three different senses: (a) The value of this book is % 200. (6) We value our customers. a (6 The value of learning computer skills lies in the fact that jobs in indus™!” highly demanding. wveral meanings ™ nical” w BARRIERS To COMMUNIC! cost of distribution to the sale, mite BAFIn the first example, the term ‘value’ means ‘cost’ while in the second and third examples, it means ‘importance’. In business, the term ‘values’ is also used to convey ‘ethical business practices,’ (iii) Technical Words or Jargons : Itis often found that specialists and technical personnel tend to use technical language of their respective fields. This increases their isolation from others and builds a communication barrier, Whatever be the intention of thie special language, it hinders their communication with persons not in their speciality, because of the receiver's ignorance of that type of language. (i) Faulty Translation : Sometimes, the instructions originally drafted in one language (eg., English) need to be translated to the language understood by the workers (eg, Hindi). If the translator is not proficient with both the languages, mistakes may creep in causing different meaning than the intended one. () Unclarified Assumptions : Sometimes, messages are based on certain assumptions which are subject to different interpretations. For example, the boss instructs his subordinate, “ Take care of our guest”. The boss may mean that subordinate should take care of transport, food, accommodation, etc. of the guest until he leaves the station. ‘The subordinate may interpret that the guest is to be escorted to the hotel with care. (v) Body Language and Gestures : Alongwith verbal communication, another important mode of communication is body language and gestures used by the person who is talking, If the verbal communication is not matching with the body language, the listener may get confused and misunderstand the meaning. [EB socio-PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS ‘A number of psychological or emotional factors act as barriers to effective communication. The state of mind of a person has great influence over the interpretation of information and its consequences. For example, a frightened person may not communicate properly, similarly an angry person may not receive the message properly. Some of the psychological barriers to effective communication are as follows : ( Differences in Perception : Perceptual barriers may arise due to differences between individuals in the way they perceive, organise and understand their environment. Sometimes, barrier may also be due to the use of a particular language or jargon by the people belonging to the same occupational group. Differences in perception arise from different job experiences, educational backgrounds, value systems, and $o on. Accordingly, a person receiving a message may interpret it in the light of his own background. If there is an openness in relationship, everything that is communicated will be readily believed. Not so, however, if there is a mutual distrust or misunderstanding between the sender and the receiver of the message. (id Differences in Attitudes: People differ with regard to attitudes and opinions which often interfere with communication. For example, if the message is consistent with cur attitades and opinions we receive it favourably. On the other hand, if the message is contrary to our expectations, beliefs and cherished values we do not react favourably BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Elto For example, a news of bonus is likely to be received fine, But they may oppose a move of the management to instal fare, belief that it will reduce job opportunities for them. (@) Emotions : How the receiver feels at the time of receipe o¢ effectively how he interprets the information, For example, i the communicator is in jovial mood, he interprets that the infor, the communicator to be good and interesting. Extreme exo, “io depression are quite likely to hinder the effectiveness of corr (®) Inattention : Communication has no impa to listen. This may be a matter of ct on those who 2 motivation. If People do + or act unenthusiastically, apparently it is complete. (vit) Wstance to Change: Itis general tendency of human beings to maintain asx juen new ideas are being communicated, the listening appenmee concn neo in rejecting new ideas. Thus resistance to change is an immrrtane chon cs coe communication. Sometimes, isatic i the employees, e.g, : Cultural differences are faced when managers deal 72 fers to values, beliefs, norms, attimdes BARRIERS TO COMMUNECAT®perceptions of people of different nations (India, America, Japan etc.) or regions (different regions in India). When managers deal with employees of different nations Gn multinational coporations), they must regard cultural values or beliefs; otherwise, they may not be able to convey what they really wish to. Symbols, words, colours, gestures, language must be carefully selected when senders of information are dealing with poeple of different nations or regions. GEN ORGANISATIONAL BARRIERS An organisation is a deliberate creation for the attainment of certain specified objectives. phis is usually attempted through a variety of official measures such as designing the rganisational arrangements for performance of various activities, prescribing of various olicies, rules, regulations and procedures, laying down of norms of behaviour, instituting reward-and-punishment system, ete, All the inner processes, including communication 1 different directions, are markedly affected by these prescriptions. As such major rganisational barriers are as follows: @ Status Relationships : Organisation structure creates a number of status levels among the members of the organisation, Status refers to the regard and attitude displayed and held towards a position by the members of the organisation. For instance, there is a difference in the status level of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and director-incharge of production of a company. This difference becomes apparent as one communicates with another, This may create hurdles in two-way- communication. The common causes for obstacle in communication due to status are non-listening habit of the superior and desire to keep maximum information with oneself. Sometimes, subordinates also avoid seeking clarifications from the superior because they feel that it will lower down their prestige. The barrier due to status or position can be overcome if there is free and fair two-way flow of communication in the organisation. (4) One-way Flow : Effective communication is a two-way street. In two-way communication, both the sender and the receiver feel free to interact in ways which tend to enhance the quality of the exchange process. But where the flow of feedback from the receiver or the listener is blocked, understanding will suffer. In fact, one-way communication in some situations is not communication at all. (i Complex Organisation Structure : The organisation structure has an important influence on the ability of the members of the organisation to communicate effectively. But these days, the organisation structure of most big enterprises is complex involving : (a) several layers of supervision, (b) long communication lines, (c) co- existence of specialists, and (d) organisational distance between the workers and the top management. Organisation structure creates problems because communication may break down at any level of supervision due to faulty transmission in order to overcome these difficulties. (iv) Rigid Rules and Regulations : Organisational rules and regulations affect the flow of communication by prescribing the subject-matter to be communicated and also the channel through which these are to be communicated. The rules may restrict the IERS TO COMMUNICATIONfs any important ones, Oy certain messages and may leave, m i cones through proper channel in a specified Way prescribed he inst the willingness of persons to convey the they, delays it and works against th ofp c mh damier is strongly operative in ae public sector enterprises Where bse * i ray ules and regulations is more rigid : , Distai other barrier to effective communi 1 nce Barriers t Distance is ano n ¢ f e. io communicator and communicates are at distant places, the Communica My, get the immediate clarification required. He implements the way, he under a communication : (Physical Barriers : Communication becomes: ineffective due to Physica} fey as poise pollution of machines, vehicles and environment. Due to 1 ie and suffocation a communicator cannot give complete and effective i Oly : a communicatee. . n (wi) Mechanical Barriers : Equipments used for communication should Always bp Perfect working onder. Any defect in the equipments may distort the imprey. Sometimes, it becomes too late to communicate as the scheduled time Passes." HEB Personal Barriers w organisational factors discussed above are, no doubt, important ji eee at ca communication, a host of factors internal to the two parties ser Feceiver—zo this process also exert important influences on its operation, as com; is basically an inter-personal Process. Some of the personal barriers are as follows @ Attitade of Superiors : The attitudes of superiors towards communication jn Bene or in any particular direction affect the flow of messages in different directions 5, example, if this attitude is unfavourable, there is a greater possibility that Tess. would not flow adequately from and/or to superior. () Lack of Confidence in Subordinates : Superiors generally perceive, comes g otherwise, that their subordinates are less competent and capable, they are not: abley advise superiors or they may not have some information coming downwards, (3) Insistence of Proper Channel : One of the basic features of Superiors’ exercisings the authority is that they wish to remain in communication links and they do notlt any type of bypassing in communication, Communication through byp: fy Wy IMunic assing mz sometimes, be necessary but superiors treat this as thwarting of their authority a: this blocks the flow of communication. () Ignoring Communication : Sometimes su; communication from their subordinate mi BARRIERS TO COMMUNICA’(x) Shortage of Time : “ a : “No time”, “ supetions, Th , “lack of time” ar eriors. They do not spare considerable time Pept piigeteiparie eaehy hed (vit) Message oe a that they are overburdened with eY = lessage is ” Peeeeae Overload 3 Message overload is realy a hurdle i naa 4 7 ly a hurdle in th i smooth flow of ecto te there is a grave danger i the orderly, aaa See aie anes on. The effect of overload a sa seat Sit onan wars omni of Subordinates : Subordina an communication flow particularly in scl bay also equally responsible for restricting eee rere sladlc iin Betiaed reciept Dasrees at (a) They dislike to show mistakes. @ They generally resist new ideas (9 Unwillingness to communicate 1 qunicate upward bs eee fa vard a message on personal grounds. (Q They suppress information relating to their failures. sheer fear and distrust mar effective (@) Miscellaneous Barriers. Sometimes communication. The e sender may fear that the consequences of transmitting a particular the receiver, even though ae eee i py position or the position of Jose credibility if they are asec cao to communicate. Some managers also sive, inconsistent and indiscreet in transmitting and m and transmit information to them receiving information. People who receive fro seldom attach much importance to the content. ‘Also, personality clashes among individuals ‘clog the communication channels. Emotions, jealousy, hatred, conflicting ues and interests also interfere with the communication process. BIBI) GATEWAYS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 3.8.1 Overcoming Barriers and Achieving Effective Communication Developing and maintaining a system of good communication is the primary job of any xecutive. But it should be kept in view that mere transmission of information does not, 1 any way, ensure effective communication. Effectiveness largely depends on reciprocal nderstanding, mutual exchange of ideas, facts, and information for it is not one-sided game Essentially, it is the system that d communication - the exclusive affair of the transmitter of the message. akes or unmakes communication effective. The characteristics of a goo stem are discussed below 1. Two-way Channel. In communication, ed, namely, the sender or transmitter, and the receiver of the me: urall transmission of facts, ideas, opinions, etc., does not make any communication effective and meaningful. The imperative need is to keep the channel open for sending the receivers views, understanding and opinion about the event informed. In other words, no single and the receiver t role in making the a i have a joint t both the transmitter rate entity, bu ive. Clearly, therefore a. good communication system should be co . etc., should move two parties are involve ssage. Naturally, mere {nformation, views, communication effe eat led like a two-way traffic. Transfer 0 : ledge, in 7 : from the sender to the receiver and vice-versa without any interruption. cacoe TA COMMUNICATIONSS .. Yi ae ae ‘and the receiver of the me ng the executives OF execy; ifies the lacuna in the es a one-sided game only. ce ystem communication SYS 2. Mae ‘ a between the transmitter n amo! derstanding exist snatter the communication takes place ing ini gubondinates Absence of mutual underst $ .. the sense that any comnnaication ae between the seniors and the suborg < yi relations ¢ eniors and t ' Bese ee ot ein fof communication existing in any departmen ar i Cs cet ish its goals ora indientor Sipe noted tht no organisation can ia : goat withog me organisation, Tr shou ally Jepends on healthy interpersonal re! a si es thay "Bg eft wi oer he : dinates and everyone takes into Confidence tay th trust exists between the superiors and subol ‘ views of others aye mus be as clear as possible. No ambiguity in a A. Clarity of Message. The mess a ene ia cley fe 7 u van be conveyed properly tearly formusy Se ee uae? ge should be encoded in direct ang int ae ferstand it without much difficulty. Pe the mind of Uh nd so that the receiver Is able to un 0 language ntion should be given to the timeliness ,, ble atte 4, Timely Message, Considerable at : communication, Old information worse than none at all. The message wy), received or responded to differently by different individuals and groups at the ae ume or by the same individuals and groups at different times. Even in an emerge... y hnical aspect of timing ‘one dare not overlook the situational, psychological and tec essage to be communicated should always ,, 5, Consistency of Message. The consistent with the objective, policies and programmes of the enterprise. It shou not be conflicting with the previous communications, otherwise it would creay confusion and chaos in the organisation. If the new message 1s an amendment of the old message, this fact should be stated very clearly so as to reduce the scope of confusion in its implementation. 6. Good Relations. The mode of communication should be chosen in such a manne that it does not hurt the feelings of the receiver. It should create proper understanding in their minds if it is to achieve good human relations in the enterprise. It is equaly ‘essential that the communicator also attempts to understand the receivers. 7. Feedback. Feedback provision in the communication process calls for making it: Two-way process. The sender must try to ascertain through some signals whether or not he is properly understood. He should also try to know the reaction of the receive: sf = are In ae of. face-to-face communication, it is easier to get feedback map y — the emotions and expressions on the face of the listener. Buti ier types of communication, the communicator will have to do a lot t0 get clues of the reaction of the receiver of his message. 8. Hopes foe should resist the temptation of making prematut i communcr uc ommuicn or nemeping him in the cm listening also allows smooth Tow of inforeet et hs aaa 9. Flexibility, The communication system shoul: , the changing requirements, It shor nd ie Sr eatleatnle snouel adie 7 without much strain, It spe aaa e able to carry extra loads of informatt resistance, Use of a wide range of ee techniques of communication with lit” ia such as oral and written messages, face” i BARRIERS TO COMMUNIGAT™face contacts, telephonic calls, group meetings, etc., should be encouraged without any hesitation. TEN COMMANDMENTS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION |, Listen attentively; find areas of common interest; listen for main ideas. 2, Plan ahead; be prepared; avoid important situations if possible; and keep the message brief. 3, Avoid stereotyping and the assignment of individuals or ideas to right categories. 4, Distinguish between the desire to know and the need to know. 5. Distinguish among facts, references, and conclusions. Avoid attributing motives to others. Attend to behavioural cues as well as language or diction. 8. Say enough, but leave some things unsaid, 9. Don't shun all conflict, but avoid the unnecessary conflict. 10, Withhold value judgements about context or delivery, until strate; lly appropriate. [EG PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION It is indeed very difficult to suggest an exhaustive list of essential features of good system of communication. It will depend on the specific needs of the situation. However, the following guidelines or principles may be followed to achieve a good system of communicatio: 1. Speed : A good system of communication must ensure a speedy transmission of message. The time taken to transmit a message to its destination and the speed of the communication system should be considered on the basis of the urgency of communicating the message. Clarity of Massage : The beginning of all communication is some message. The message must be as clear as possible. No ambiguity should creep into it. The message can be conveyed properly only if it is clearly formulated in the mind of the communication. 3. Creation of Impression : The communication must create a positive impression with the recipient, i.e., it should produce the desired reaction from the person receiving it. In some cases, a formal letter is adequate while in others it might result in the communication being thrown unread into the waste-paper basket. 4. Two-way Traffic : It is two-way communication that provides feedback to the sender of the information. Feedback refers to transmission of information concerning the effect of any act of communication. Thus a manager who sends a directive to his subordinate, should know the response of the latter. Feedback information flows upward and downward. Its purpose is to reinforce the action implied in any act of communication. Feedback also provides an opportunity for suggestion and criticism by the receiver of information. 5. Credibility : Communication starts with the climate of belief. This climate is built by performance on the part of the practitioner. The performance reflects an earnest desire to serve the receiver. The receiver must have confidence in the sender. He must have a high regard for the source’s competence on the subject. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION 3.11“ iver, and it must h, eaning for the rece! . tt ae ‘nave relevance io him. feiteaaiy Peopigh t : e greatest rewards, | hich promise them & The Con : essage 6. Content : The m with his value Ahaaeee i se items of informati prom oe ines the response of the audience. rien Oo) Seana 7, Completeness : Every communication Tet nance 0am, 7 receiver guessing, | E x f "= Every pe nae ae therefore, be provided with all i beet : — bas figures ‘ anaes the factory eee Be se erode oa Sete xact size, shape, quality and cos! 1 - es Se ol asa be clarified. While answering a letter, all the questions vat : must be replied, : 7 . oe voly : Communication must take into account a capability a the aii, Communications are most effective when they require the lea: on the a the recipients. This includes factors like reading ability and receiver 1 nowledge 9. Accuracy : The communication medium should ensure eaaniaes in le transmis of messages. There is no logic in having a system that is eae sa ty in transmit; in messages. Hence, written communication is desirable as words spoken are liable top misheard. : 10. Economy : The communication system should be as much economical as Possit But efficiency of the system should be sacrificed to achieve economy. The cos, ; the communication system should be kept under limits by discouraging umnecessar, messages. Il. Secrecy : The communication system should ensure secrecy and there should ben leakage of information. Thus quality becomes all the more necessary if messages x, of confidential nature. 12. Safety : A good communication system must guard against the risk of loss in transi If an important legal document is to be mailed, it is advisable to send it by registere Post or courier service, a ain the concept of noise as a barri 2. Discuss the common barriers to effective c 3. What are barriers to communication ? How c; » : » 8 8 8 S g z 3 & B 3 j 3 8 2 a an Briefly explain the psychological barrie; * What are the main barriers to co i mmunics ? Gi ic i Wace ae ‘ation? Give suggestions to overcome the barriers. @ Noise. () Semantic barriers, © Psychological barriers,