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Barriers of communication
Introduction
When a communication is sent to receiver, it must be effective and it is effective only when it has understood by receiver in the same sense in which the sender intend it. If it is not properly understood by receiver, the very purpose of communication is lost and the communication proves ineffective. There may be some many obstructions in the way of its being effective.
The message may not reach the receiver; there may be some flows in encoding and decoding the message. The channel may be used defective, there may be some noise in the channel, or the channel used may be wrong, there may be also personal problem.
Thus, for various reasons, receiver as was intend by the sender may not receive the message.
Types
External
Organizational
Personal
1. External barriers
External barriers are those caused by factors other than organizational and personal factors. Such external barriers may be semantic, emotional and psychological.
(a) Semantic
Symbols may have several meanings and unless, the context is known to the receiver, he is likely to take the meaning of the symbol according to his preconceived notion and misunderstand the communication. Symbol may be defined as language, picture and action.
Language
The verbal communication, words used are important. A word used in communication may have several meanings.
Sometimes lack of clarity and precision in a message makes it difficult to understand. Poorly chosen and incorrect words and phrases, careless omissions, lack of coherence, bad organization ideas etc are some of the faults found in many cases of poor communication.
Picture
Picture is another type of symbol. Pictures are visual aids worth-thousand of words. An organization maker extensive use of pictures like blue print, charts, maps, graphs and other similar devices etc.
Action
Action is another type of symbol. We communication by both by action or back lack of it. To do or not to do both have a for the receiver.
Example: if a subordinate does a good job, patting and non patting on his back by the superior, both have a meaning. Patting may inspire him to do a better job again and non patting makes him disappointed.
(b) Emotional
Personal or emotional or psychological barriers arise from motives, attitudes, judgement, sentiments, emotions and social value of participants. These creates a psychological distance that hinders the communication. These are some emotional barriers.
Premature evaluation
Premature evaluation is a tendency to evaluate a communication prematurely, rather than open mind during the interchange. Some evaluation interferes with transfer of information and be gets a sense of futility in the sender.
Loss in transmission and retention
When communication passes through various level in the organization, successive transmissions of the same message are decreasingly accurate. A part of information is lost in transit. It is said that about 30% of the information in lost in each transmission. Research reveals that workers retain only 50% of information and supervisor retain 60% of it.
Distrust of communicator
The communicator is sometimes distrust of hiss subordinates. It happens when he lacks self-confidence or is less competent in his position.
Failure to communicate
Some managers do not communicate the needed message to their subordinates. This might be because of laziness or procrastination on their part or they assume that everybody has the information.
Inattention
The preoccupied mind of the receiver and the resultant non-listening is one of the major chronic psychological barriers. It is common phenomenon that people simply fail to react the bulletins, notice, minutes and reports.
2. Organizational barriers
The day to day functioning of the organization is regulated in such a way as to contribute to the attainment of these objectives in the most effective manners. But because of some barriers organization not to achieve his objective.
Organization policy
The general organization policy regarding communication provides overall guidelines in this matter. If the policy hindrance in the free flow of communication in different directions, communication would be smooth and effective.
Organizational rules and regulations
Different action of an organization are governed by specific rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations prescribe the subject matter to be communicate as also the channel through it is to be communicated. The rules may be restrict the flow of certain messages and may omit many important ones.
Status relationship
The lacing of people in superior subordinate relationship in a formal organization structure also blocks the flow of communication.
Complexity in organization structure
The chances of the communication getting distorted are greater as the number of filtering points is higher. This is particularly true in upward communication because people at intermediate levels do not like to pass on negative remarks either of themselves or of their superiors.
Organization facilities
It certain organization provides certain facilities for smooth, adequate clear and timely flow of communication such as meetings, conferences, complaints or suggestion boxes, open door system etc. if these facilities are not properly emphasize people generally fail to communicate effectively.
3. Personal barriers
The sender and receiver, influence the flow of communication and present many hurdles in the way of effective communication.
(a)Barriers in superiors
Superiors plays important role in communication because of their position, they act as a barriers in number of ways as follows: -
Attitude of superior
Fear of challenge to authority
Insistence of proper channel
Lack of confidence in subordinate
Ignoring communication
(b) Barriers of subordinate
Unwillingness to communicate
Lack of proper incentive
The above are the same of the barriers which come in the way of effective communication. They vitiate the message in several ways including distortion, filtering and omissions.
Distortion means changing the context or the meaning of the text of the information.
Filtering means reducing the message only a few basic details.
Omission refers to deletion of all or a part of the message from the text.
We must be careful about these barriers in communication.
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