Barriers to the Communication Process

The barriers to effective communication are a constant challenge for all leaders and
managers. Leaders and managers want nothing more than for their communication to meet
the 7 Cs of Communication as set out in Session One of the A03 Module on communication.

Yet, even after taking care of every detail before and during the communication process,
some misunderstandings may still occur. Therefore, we must keep in mind the key
communication barriers and to do our best to eliminate these misunderstandings for the
communication process to be more effective.

Types Of Barriers of Communication

Below you will find a list of the 10 most common barriers to the communication process.

 Physical Barriers
 Personal Barriers
 Gender Barriers
 Emotional Barriers
 Language Barriers
 Status Barriers
 Cultural Barriers
 Organisational Barriers
 Semantic Barriers
 Inattention Barriers

1. Physical Barriers

In the last few years, various research and scientific observations have proven physical
barriers to be the biggest hindrance to effective communication in the workplace.

Distance and separation are the most common physical barriers. As remote work becomes
increasingly common, team members may find themselves sitting hundreds of miles away
from their colleagues. Without effective systems in place to keep them connected, they will
struggle to communicate effectively.

On the other hand, where people are located together some large multinational firms, like
Unilever and Procter & Gamble, no longer have managers and executives behind closed
doors or in giant secluded offices. They have a more of an open floor way of operating where
all the managers, employees and directors of the company operate in an open space with
tables sticking side by side and people working face to face in a large wall-less room.

Here are a few things to watch for that may signal a physical barrier issue:

 Excessive tardiness - (especially in multiple employees) related to demotivation, or

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  Infrequent communication patterns - where good effective communication used to
take place.

2. Personal Barriers

Personal barriers can also take many forms. if someone has a problem with something
personal it normally relates to the factors that are personal to the sender or receiver and act as
a hindrance in the communication process. These factors include life experiences, emotions,
attitudes, or behaviour that hinders the ability of a person to communicate.

The most common personal barriers are:

 Lack of Listening Skills - the efficiency of the communication process gets disturbed
when the receiver listens only with ears but do not apply their mind. Often, the
receiver listens to what they want to listen to and give no attention to other aspects of
the information, thereby acting as a hindrance to the effective communication.
 Selective Attention - this problem arises when the person is impatient and puts their
objective above all. They give eyes and ears to only that part of the information which
is helpful to them and fulfils their objective and ignores all the other aspects.
 Lack of knowledge - the communication process suffers if the sender and receiver
have less knowledge about the subject matter than is required.
 Lack of vocabulary – often the communication problem arises when the sender uses
some words which are difficult for the receiver to comprehend correctly.

3. Gender Barriers

Research shows that there are distinct differences between the speech patterns of men and
women. It is said that an average woman speaks over 22,000 words in a day, while an
average man speaks only 7,000 words in a day. So, for a man to speak 1 word, the woman
might speak 3 words. This may cause some difficulties due to a lack of appreciation of
difference.

Girls start speaking earlier than boys. Girls also develop richer vocabulary than boys by the
age of 3. This pattern can carry on and become a norm, thus, there can be misunderstanding
when men and women engage in professional communications. There is need for both parties
to understand and accommodate their differences in communication patterns.

4. Emotional Barriers

This is about how people feel about situations, ideas, people, and objects. Emotional barriers
to communication include fear, mistrust, anger, and suspicion.

Examples of emotional barriers that prevent individuals from effective communication

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  Anger - Anger can affect the way your brain processes information given to you.
For example, angry people have difficulty processing logical statements, limiting
their ability to accept explanations and solutions offered by others
 Pride - The need to be right all the time will not only annoy others, it can shut
down effective communication. For example, you might focus only on your
perspective, or you might come up with ways to shoot down other people before
you even listen to their points.

 Anxiousness - Anxiety has a negative impact on the part of your brain that
manages creativity and communication skills. For example, your constant worries
can hinder your ability to concentrate on the information you are giving or
receiving.

5. Language Barriers

Another important barrier to communication is the language barrier. Differences in language,

For example, English speakers may not achieve any meaningful exchange of information
with Spanish people. Furthermore, some words used in English language may not mean the
same thing as their translations in Spanish.

Language is an integral part of culture, and understanding the cultures of other people
requires you to gain some understanding of their language.

6. Status Barriers

Status or position in the hierarchy of an organisation is one of the fundamental barriers that
obstruct free flow of information. A person may give only selected information to their
subordinates so as to maintain status differences. Subordinates, usually, tend to convey only
those things, in their opinion, which would be appreciated. This creates distortion in upward
communication.

Such selective communication is also known as filtering. This may cause distortion in
communication, leading to people struggling to function due to a lack of relevant information
and understanding.

7. Cultural Barriers

Cultural barriers to communication stem from differences in social norms and values.

It’s important to be aware of ethnocentricity, or the assumption that all cultures share your
values, beliefs, and lifestyle. Addressing ethnocentrism and emphasising inclusion in your
company culture will help team members feel valued and included, regardless of their
background. Externally, you can educate your team on how to avoid business
etiquette missteps in other cultures.

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What to watch for: Stereotyping, ostracisation, or other ethnocentric behaviours (or
complaints about such behaviours), and team members avoiding each other.

8. Organisational Barriers

Organisational barriers to communication may stem from a lack of understanding of your

Employees may not know how to share or request information. Communication silos and
bottlenecks, meanwhile, are common symptoms of a structure that may need to be
reorganised or clarified.

What to watch for: Team members frequently contacting the wrong individuals for specific
information or insights and vital information being lost or delayed somewhere along the
chain of command.

9. Semantic Barriers

Words, actions or a feeling, can have several meanings. Difficulty in understanding may arise
even in the case of words which have different contextual meanings in different
regions/countries.

Semantic difficulty also arises because of unfamiliarity with words, for example, a word of a
foreign language or a technical word. An effective communication is one which uses words
appropriate to the environment and mental framework of the receiver. This ensures that
communication is grasped properly and implemented effectively.

A semantic barrier can also be created if body language is inconsistent with the verbal
communication. A manager who praises the honesty and sincerity of his/her subordinate in a
sarcastic tone creates doubts in the minds of the subordinate as to the course of action s/he
should adopt in a given situation in future. The same kind of barrier is created by a
divergence between the verbal language and the action language of the leader or manager.
When action and language are used jointly, the actions often have more powerful influence
on other’s actions than words.

10. Inattention Barriers

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When a person's mind is distracted or preoccupied with other things, the person is not able to
form proper messages, listen to what others tell them, interpret the message as required and
give proper feedback. The communication will face problems and becomes ineffective.

How To Improve Barriers of Communication?

We have likely experienced many of the barriers that occur during communication – but what
to do about them?

First of all, you should note that whichever communication you are starting - it should be
completely clear.

Secondly, you start a communication according to your needs. It should not be that there is
no need for those people with whom you are communicating.

Thirdly, you should also provide proper feedback during communication.

Fourth, you should also pay attention to whether the person you are communicating with is
able to fully understand your language.

Fifth, it is more important that you become a good listener - being a good listener creates life
inside communication.