INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION OF TERMS
BODY
Filtering
One of the substantial barriers to effective communication is filtering of information. This is
when a messenger does not convey the whole information as it is but withholds some part of the
information usually the bad part so as to manage a person`s reactions. This results in the
receiving person not being able to get a full picture of how things are. For instance a sales
representative may keep some of the low sales figures from the manager fearing the manager`s
reaction. Delivering and seeking information from many sources is one way of resolving this
issue. Thus, the effect of one person filtering the information won`t be felt.
Work place conflict
Unresolved work place conflicts also hinder effective communication at the work place. They
give rise to grudges and tensions between workers which may result in workers taking sides.
Now when one of the parties involved in the conflict tries to convey a message to the whole
work force, the other part may decide to just ignore the message despite the information being
useful. This can deteriorate the working environment and threaten key company activities. In
order to overcome this, workplace conflicts should be resolved timely and be made sure that
none are left unresolved.
Poor listening
Effective communication can also be inhibited by poor listening skills. The sender of a message
may convey their message clearly but due to poor listening skills of the receiver, the message
may be distorted. The receiver may not pay full attention whilst the message is being delivered
and may at times interrupt at inappropriate times resulting in them missing important detail,
failing to get the speaker`s perspective and even misinterpreting the message. Active listening
skills should be taught and practiced at the workplace so as to overcome this.
Emotional disconnects
This occurs when a person sending or receiving the information is emotionally upset. The
receiver being upset may distort what the sender is saying and the sender being upset as well
may fail to clearly present the message in detail and may miss crucial information. This can be
overcome by the two parties putting aside their feelings and emotions and focusing on the goal.
Effective communication requires the two parties to be open to speaking and listening to one
another.
Biased language
Biased language also acts as a barrier to effective communication. Language that belittles or
stereo-types a person or than insults them based on their age, sexual preferences and believes can
be so offensive and may ruin communication between two parties. For instance, addressing a
lady who does the cleaning at the work place as the “cleaning lady” can be so rude and offensive
to the person being addressed. Thus, to overcome this, companies should all employees written
guidelines on standards of speech and conduct which promote respectful communication.
Lack of trust
Another barrier to effective communication is lack of source credibility. If the person conveying
the information is not trustworthy, people may take him for granted and take his message lightly.
For instance, if the person is known to be a person of humor or be known to have communicated
erroneous information and at times created false emergencies, his current message is most likely
to be ignored people doubting his motives. This can be overcome by not communicating
erroneous information at work intentionally so that trust is gained.
Gender differences
Gender differences can also be a barrier to effective communication. Men and women have
different styles of communication. For instance, according to (Tannon, 1991), women like to ask
questions before starting work so as to fully understand what they will be doing where as men
tend to go straight into the work. A male manager who may not be aware of how women
communicate their readiness to work may misperceive a ready employee as not ready. Thus,
understanding the different styles of communication and keeping in mind that men mainly focus
on orders and females on request will help overcoming this barrier.
Jargon
Words in communication may mean different things to different people. At our work place we
use different acronyms termed business jargon to make our communication fast and effective.
However, if those jargons are used when communicating with customers they may mean
something else different from what one will be communicating which makes the communication
ineffective. Thus, to overcome this, business jargon should not be used when communicating
with customers, It should only be used for internal communications.
Selective perception
Selective perception is when a receiver of information chooses to believe what they want to
believe according to what suits them instead of what is being conveyed by the message. They
listen to only part of the message that confirms their believe and affirm their perceptions while
discounting the rest of the message. This acts as substantial barrier and can be resolved by
learning about one`s perceptions and dismissing them when communicating with other people.
Distractions
Distractions during communication also inhibit effective communication. For example, constant
email notifications, noise of office chatter and interruptions from other colleagues tends to divert
attention from the message at hand and disrupt the flow of a conversation, making it challenging
to maintain a fruitful two way exchange of ideas. Keeping cell phones on silent and moving to
areas with less noise when conveying sensitive information helps resolving this barrier.
