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Khit Thiri Su
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What is barriers in communication

Barriers in communication

Things that prevent a message from being received are known as communication
barriers. They can be physical, such as playing loud music, or emotional, such as
when a person is too furious or afraid to listen to what another person is saying.

There are many types of barriers in communication.

They are,
Physical barriers
Emotional barrier
Cultural barriers
Language barriers
Gender barriers

Physical Barriers

What is physical barriers?

A physical barrier to communication is an object or physical feature that serves as a

distraction, obstructing communication flow. A physical barrier can be either natural
or man-made, and it is easily identifiable. Physical impediments to listening include
noise, poor design, and locked doors. Even a network disruption caused by a
thunderstorm might be considered a physical barrier.

What cause physical barriers?

Physical barriers can be created by the environment, distance between individuals,

time disparities, and defective forms of communication. Executives must be able to
recognize these variables quickly in order to address their negative effects on
productivity. Let's have a look at the factors that contribute to physical barriers.
For example,
Noise, noise is a loud, annoying sound or a disruption in an audio stream and is
one of the most prevalent physical barriers to hearing is noise. It interferes with
communication by causing a disruption in the surroundings or in the communication
channel. Noise obstructs the flow of information, making it erroneous or confusing,
and leading to misunderstandings.
Excessive information, when a person's ability to store and process information is
limited, communication suffers. The sender may have a lot of information to
provide but no way to process it. If the receiver isn't equipped to handle excessive
data, they'll have the same difficulty. Low storage capacity and backdated systems
are just as big of a physical impediment as not being able to send or receive large
amounts of printed data.
Distortion, a misrepresented or misread message is a distorted communication.
When the meaning of a communication is lost through translation, transition, or
decoding, it is referred to as a message loss. Distortion of communication is also
caused by human perception.
Time, a physical barrier might be created between two persons due to a lack of
time or time zones. If the sender has a limited amount of time, he or she must
compose a short message for the receiver. This guarantees that important
information is conveyed in the absence of a full conversation.

How to overcome physical barriers?

1. In order to protect your workplace against loud noises, you should reduce the
noise as much as possible. Soundproofing is an important part of noise
reduction. Check communication equipment such as phones and laptops for
malfunctions and disruptions on a regular basis. If you are in an area where
there are a lot of noises, you should move or lock the door which the noises
are coming from.
2. Make sure that your information is concise and clear, and that you don't
include any unnecessary information and make sure there's enough storage
space for physical copies and enough space on the computers. Keep fully
functional fax machines and printers on available to receive information and
create copies. Organizations must be able to manage large amounts of data
on a regular basis.
3. Closed workstations are useless because they restrict the flow of information.
Organizations must change to an open office environment to avoid
communication restrictions as collaborative communication becomes the
latest phrase. Workplaces must be changed or renovated to accommodate
such a strategy.
 4. Verify that there are no misunderstandings or misrepresentations. To
understand messages, use translators, programmers, and special
interpreters. A successful company should be able to read Braille and
understand messages from people who are lack in speech abilities.

5. When time is limited, create specific communications. When communications

are written correctly, they may be brief, simple, and packed with important
information. When communicating in a short amount of time, the form of a
message is critical.

Emotional barrier

What is emotional barrier?

The one that prevents you from honestly discussing your ideas and feelings is
known as an emotional barrier. Because it influences your emotions and feelings, it
has the ability to keep you from being your true personality. Low emotional
intelligence, often known as emotional awareness or control, is frequently the cause
of an emotional barrier to communication.

What cause emotional barrier?

Anxiety, anger and pride cause emotional barriers.
For example,
Anxiety, it comes in many forms, each of which affects a person's communication
abilities. Anxiety in general may make public speaking feel like a nightmare. It may
have a negative impact on your confidence and creativity, whether it's first-day
nerves or an important client meeting. Because you're frightened to speak up, you
can create an echo chamber and repeat what others say. At other extreme, you
may choose not to speak up at all.
Anger, you might snap out and say something harsh that you didn't mean when
you are angry or in an argument. Because your mind receives information in a
different manner while you're angry, it might impact how you act. When anger
takes over your thoughts, you're more willing to express yourself in inappropriate
ways, which might harm your interpersonal relationships. There would be times
when you have a disagreement with a coworker over a single project because the
two of you have opposite viewpoints. Anger might create tension, and it can make
it difficult to comprehend information correctly. You can lose sight of the project's
overall goal and dismiss ideas or explanations that might help the project succeed.
Pride, it is an emotional barrier that affects how you see other people. It keeps you
from focusing on anyone else's thoughts or opinions than your own. If you don't
appreciate what the other individual is saying, you're likely to dominate a
conversation. You may be unable to pay attention to others because you are
preoccupied with your own ideas, views, and viewpoints. You may find yourself
dismissing others' opinions before even giving them a chance to speak.

How to overcome emotional barriers?

1. Simple relaxation techniques should be sufficient to relieve your nervousness
and bring you up on stage feeling secure. Relaxation techniques are the most
straightforward approach for everyone to begin controlling their anxiety. But,
anxiety may be overpowering at sometimes and a mental health expert can
help you handle these difficulties with in practices and reframing exercises if
anxiety is actually interfering with your capabilities to perform at work and in
your personal life.

2. When you're angry, get away from the issue for a while to allow yourself to
"cool off." Remember that you'll have trouble processing logical arguments if
you're still furious. You'll get a lot better picture of what's going on if you
take a break long enough to calm down and reconsider. You'll be able to
speak more effectively and make better judgments when you return.

3. When pride gets in the way, practice embracing flaws in others, including
yourself. While pride may make someone seem "arrogant" or "full of
themselves," pride is mainly the result of insecurity. People exaggerate their
feeling of pride in order to cover up their emotional insecurities. Accept it
freely next time you find out someone else has a superior idea or that you've
made a mistake. If you could show humility occasionally, other people will
find it much simpler to communicate with you.

4. We are usually self-centered in our emotional interactions. Moving the

attention away from yourself and toward others is a healthy way of looking at
things. It might be as easy as allowing someone to speak more freely while
you listen more intently. It's simpler to avoid misinterpretation if you enable
people to participate in the conversation and pay attention to them.
Cultural barriers
What is cultural barriers?

Sometimes in our lives, we've all failed to comprehend another person's culture.
The listener may understand the individual words that make up a communication,
but they may not understand the message's overall meaning. Because receivers are
unable to respond correctly, this generates confusion and worry. People who are
unaware of the cultural gap may communicate incorrectly, utilizing unsuitable
verbal and nonverbal clues, resulting in even more confusion.

What cause cultural barriers?

Language, behaviors, manners, customs, rituals, beliefs, ideas, arts, knowledge,

values, morals, and ideals learnt in a group of the same nationality, religion, or
ethnicity can cause cultural barriers.

For example,

Stereotypes and prejudices, this creates prejudice between people of other

cultures, as well as judgmental attitudes against one another. People see other
cultures as "bad," "hard to work with," or "incomprehensible," and treat them with
hatred and disrespect based on preconceptions. Working together successfully with
individuals who dislike and disdain one other may become exceedingly challenging
if things reach this far on a team or in a corporation.

Signs and symbols, Nonverbal communication, such as signs and symbols, varies
by culture and hence cannot be depended upon in conversation. For example, in
Bangladesh, the "thumbs up," which is seen as a sign of favor in the Western world,
is regarded as an insult.

Behaviors and belief, Body language, signals, attitudes, communication,

manners, and standards are all examples of behavioral and psychological variations
that can contribute to misunderstanding. In certain cultures, for example, eye
contact is extremely essential, whereas in others it is considered unpleasant and
insulting.
How to overcome ccultural barriers?

1.Successful and effective cross-cultural management is a difficult job, especially

for teams with individuals located all over the world. People who spend eight hours
a day face-to-face communicating with each other will bond and discover common
ground faster than those who exclusively communicate with each other online at
specific times.
2.Managers must learn about the culture and language of others in order to
overcome cross-cultural hurdles. They might also look at examples of cultural
barriers to learn from. They'll be able to communicate more effectively if they grasp
how their words are interpreted.
3.Managers must build and demonstrate trust in their relationships with all workers
so that they feel comfortable sharing their feelings and views about the cultural
barrier that affects them.

Language barriers

What is language barriers?

The most prevalent forms of communication barriers in the workplace is language

barriers. It leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations among employees,
putting more pressure on their working relationships. Language, whether verbal,
nonverbal, or even sign language, is required for all forms of communication.
Language barriers emerge as a result of the inability to communicate via language. 

What cause language barriers?

Language might involve using phrases and slang terms from another language
incorrectly. Not knowing, speaking the same language well can lead to plenty of
misconceptions and is widely regarded as the most important barrier to cross-
cultural communication. In any situation, verbal communication is critical, yet the
meaning of words can be lost in translation. If one person does not understand the
actual meaning of a term, the other person may misunderstand or misinterpret it,
resulting in a dispute of ideas.
For example,
When traveling to another nation for work, not understanding the local language
can provide a number of difficulties and without an interpreter or translation, you're
likely to cause unnecessary friction with potential clients or customers.

Language barriers can develop among people from various professions; for
example, a lawyer and an engineer may use different phrases and concepts in
ordinary talks.

When talking in professional environments, word choice, tone, and grammar are all
important and it's best to avoid terms having several meanings, since they're likely
to cause confusion and make you appear unprofessional.

How to overcome language barriers?

Overcoming language barriers takes a great deal of patience, attention, and

understanding. Although you may do your best, you may find yourself raising your
voice or over-enunciating in the process. It's essential to speak gently rather than
loudly, and clearly rather than aggressively. You are demonstrating professionalism
as well as respect for others by doing so. 
Use simple language, it’s essential to keep things simple whether you're speaking in
a common language that everyone knows or not. For example, if you use technical
or sophisticated language it will be difficult for someone who has recently been
employed to keep up. Furthermore, even among members of the same language
group, not everyone's vocabulary is as wide as yours. For example, even if you and
your coworkers are fluent in English, they are likely to be confused if you employ
sophisticated terms. Using basic and simple language is the greatest method to
minimize misunderstanding.

Gender Barriers

What is gender barriers?

Gender communication barriers arise from the differing methods in which men and
women interact with one another and are expected to communicate. Unhealthy
communication gaps can be caused by gender stereotypes, expected gender norms,
and interpersonal differences. It's important to remember that closing the gap isn't
always the responsibility of one gender. To make a real change, everyone, including
the whole company, has to be a part of the conversation.
What cause gender barriers?

Basically, Stereotyping and gender expecting cause gender barriers. Stereotypes

are generalizations about someone or something. They're potential factors that
make it difficult for people to think properly, causing them to rush to hasty
judgments. People of all genders and social identities communicate in a variety of
ways. However, people's perceptions are frequently formed only on a single
contact. Gender identity expectations can lead to the creation of gender barriers at
work. Different genders employ facial expressions, gestures, and other nonverbal
indicators in different ways. People, on the other hand, expect them to act a certain
way because of their gender. Gender roles are expected to have a role in this
situation.

For example,
1.There is a stereotype that women are soft-spoken all of the time.However,when
women don’t speak softly ,in their mind, their confidence is misinterpreted as
arrogance. Gender barriers can appear in harmful ways and have a detrimental
influence on workplace culture.

2.Senior male leaders, are required to constantly be forceful, talk clearly, and walk
with a confident stride. Such expectations are problematic because they constrain
people to society roles, and if they do not match these standards, they may be
judged.

How to overcome gender barriers?

Businesses must have procedures in place that hold everyone responsible in order
to break down gender barriers at work. The goal should be to make every area and
opportunity inclusive, from recruiting processes to networking activities. Since
employees come from a variety of backgrounds not everyone will have the same
experiences or information. It's critical to educate them and assist them in
unlearning bad beliefs and behaviors.