top of page

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS-:

A communication barrier is anything that prevents us from receiving and understanding the messages others use to convey their information, ideas and thoughts.

or 

A Communication barrier is an obstacle that prevents the receiver from receiving and understanding the message that has been sent by the sender. if a message is not understood clearly, it may lead to communication gaps, causing confusion and misunderstanding. 

Types of communication barriers

There are many barriers that Hinder our ability to communicate. we will now learn about its type of the area and the various factor causing them.

  1.  Barriers related to the formation of message-:

    • lengthy or complicated message​​

    • Linguistic issues

    • Inconsistent tone or non-verbal communication

  2. Internal Barriers-:

    • Fatigue, disinterest, or excitement

    • Poor listening skills

    • Emotional barriers

    • Difference in perception and viewpoint

    • Prejudice or bias

    • Cultural differences

  3. External Barriers-:

    • Noise and other distractions

    • Physical barriers between  communicators

    • Physical disabilities

    • Physical barriers to non-verbal communication

  1. Barriers related to the formations of message-:    

 These barriers occurs due to problems in the the composition or formation of the message itself. multiple factor cause these barriers like lengthy message, language problems,   intonation  issues, or the non-verbal communication used.
for example,
if you are watching a Hollywood movie, The actor speak English in an American  ascent, I am sometimes you may not be able to understand what they are saying for stop this type of problems are related to the message that is being conveyed.

 lengthy or complicated message-:
sometimes the vocabulary used in a conversation is too difficult and complicated to understand or a sentence may be too long for one to
perceive its meaning. this factor can cause a communication barrier.

  • Linguistic issues-: the interference which occurs due to a sent, speech disorders, or symbols having multiple, and of them completely different meanings, can affect the communication process. additionally, the lack of professionally in the language affect the interpretations of the message as well. this issue are also known as    semantic issues.
  • Inconsistent tone or non-verbal communication-: you have read earlier that communication is both verbal and non-verbal. if  do if the body language auto news while communicating is not correct, it will create barriers. in verbal oral communication, or tone, Prince, please, gestures, I contact, postures, facial expressions, etc., enhance communication if applied well. they can also distort communication is not match with the message. a simple message of congratulations can be communicated honestly or  sarcastically depending on the facial expressions or tone off the voice.

 2. Internal barriers-:

 these barriers occur due to some inherent traits are the frame of mind of the communicators. factor responsible for internal barriers include intense emotions, poor listening skills, prejudge, different viewpoint, or different cultural backgrounds.

Types of internal barriers.-: 

  • Fatigue, disinterest, or excitement-: Sometimes, the receiver may be too excited, tried, or the topic of conversation may not be interesting for the receiver. this may result in a lack of attention  To what the sender is starting.

  •  Poor listening skills-: Poor listeners do not attend carefully to all the information being given by the speaker that is both verbal and non-verbal signals, including Intonation and body language.

 

  • Emotional Barriers-: Some people find it difficult to express their emotions approximately during communication.

​​Example-: A worried person cannot communicate properly, and an Angry recipient cannot understand the message correctly.. Thus, at the time of communication, both the sender and the receiver need to be in the right frame of mind  psychologically.

  • Difference in perception and viewpoint-:

The receiver may not look at things the same way as the person who is communicating. This causes communication gap because there is a disagreement between the sender and the receiver.

 

  • Prejudice or bias-: Bias against a particular person may lead to false Assumptions and cause miscommunication. for example, if you do not like somebody personally, even if he is saying something in your favour, you may not believe him. the mistruth that you have against the person has caused a barrier between the two of you.

 

  • Cultural differences-: Social interaction varies in different cultures. what may seem like an appropriate Gesture in one culture might be inappropriate in another. for example, making eye contact is considered a good communication technique in the US, but in most Asian countries, making eye contact with a senior person is considered to be disrespectful.

3. External barriers-:

External barriers occur due to factors we have no control over and over outside  our body and mind. factors like knows, different time zones and distance, faculty communication equipment, or Technologies, physical disabilities, and physical barriers preventing us from observing non verbal communication are some of the cause of this type of barrier. It is a general expense that while you are talking on a cell phone and the signal is weak, it becomes difficult for you to hear what your friend is trying to convey. 

Types of External barriers.-:

  • Noise and other distraction: These prevent the message from being heard correctly. One may miss an important part of the communication and misunderstand due to these barriers.
 
  • Physical barriers between  communicators-: Technology becomes with equipment used for communication is a physical barrier. for example, week signals or a faculty handset May prevent proper contact and cause dissatisfaction and  irritation among the people communicating. additionally, the distance between the sender and receiver, or different timezone can also create problem in communication.
  • Physical disabilities-: Disabilities such as hearing problems for speech difficulties can become a barriers to communication.
  •  Physical barriers to non-verbal communication-: you cannot see the non verbal gestures posture and journal body language when you are making phone calls are sending the text messages. hence, they are less effective than face to face communication.                               
(Source kips)

 Measures to overcome the barriers of communication-:

1. Clarify the Ideas before Communication:

Any issue to be communicated to a subordinate should be clearly and completely studied and analyzed by the superior. Moreover, it should be stated in such a manner that subordinate can easily understand it in the same sense in which the supervisor wants him to receive it.

2. Communicate According to the Need of Receiver:

The level of understanding and education of the subordinates must be very clear to the manager. Manager should try to communicate according to their level.

3. Consult others before Communicating:

 It is desirable to involve others in developing a plan for communication. Consulting the subordinates before communicating the message helps to gain their ready acceptance and willing cooperation.

4. Be aware of Language, Tone and Content of Message:

The language, tone and content of a message to be communicated are very important aspects of an effective communication. The language should be clear, simple and easily understandable. Similarly, the tone & content of the message should not provide any harm to the sentiments of listeners rather it should stimulate them to give response.

5. Convey Things of Help and Value to Listeners:

  It is always better to know the needs and interests of the listeners before communicating the message. The response from the listeners is surely obtained if the message is related directly or indirectly to their needs or interests.

6. Ensure Proper Feedback:

 Proper feedback helps in improving the communication process. The sender should ask questions regarding the message conveyed and the receiver should be encouraged to respond to communication.

7. Communicate for Present as well as Future:

  In order to maintain consistency, the communication should aim at meeting both present as well as future requirements of an organisation.

8. Follow up Communications:

 Regular follow up and review of the instruction given to the subordinates help in removing difficulties in implementing the instructions.

9. Be a Good Listener:

 It has been well established that listening attentively solves more than half the problems in any organisation. Hence, to overcome all likely communication barriers a manager should try to be a good listener too.
bottom of page