Identify five barriers of communications we encounter in a work

scenario related to person with disabilities and for each barrier,

provide a practical one or two solutions how to solve or manage
them. Barriers can be with your colleagues, management and persons
with disabilities and their relatives.

Communication is the process of transmitting information, it may be verbal

or non-verbal messages that serves as tools to have a common
understanding from one person to another. Effective communication helps
to enhance our problem-solving skills, communicate and collaborate to
address challenges, resolve differences, and explore potential solutions.
Managers who can communicate effectively are better motivators and
can more easily create the type of collective atmosphere that any business
needs to survive. At present time, workforce is becoming more globalized
by the day, which can be challenging for managers as well as employees to
work with diverse personnel from different places and backgrounds and
disabilities.

Communication barriers are those that hinder the receiving and common
understanding of messages the sender is trying to share to the receiver.
Here are some of the barriers in communication we encounter at work
related to person with disabilities and some possible solutions we can
deal with it better;

1. Different languages. Language may appear to be a minor problem but

even people who speak the same native language can have a difficulty
understanding each other if they are from different generations or different
regions of the same country. Do not use slang, professional jargons and
regional colloquialisms because it can hurt the communicators even with
best intentions. The most ideal solution on having this communication
breakdown is somehow knowing the person's preferred method of
communication. They may be more comfortable to writing, gestures or sign
language. Try to adopt on the proper needs of medium for everybody to
communicate well.

2. Noise and other Physical barriers are such things as inadequate

equipment like an outdated computer, phones with poor signal, background
noise, poor lighting, temperatures that are too hot or too cold or any
tangible items that may interfere with communication efforts. Try not to
speak or communicate in a rowdy place which may resort you to shout and
scream. Doing so will not solve the problem. Instead, find a better place
where you can be heard and seen properly by the person you are speaking
with and for sure, he/she will have a full grip of understanding on what you
are trying to express and speak.

3. Attitudes are the strong emotions like anger or sadness or too happy can
take away objectivity. Being extremely nervous, having personal agenda or
asserting the need to win an argument can make communication less than
effective. These interfering emotions are also known as the emotional
noise. We have to acknowledge what the other person is trying to imply.
With these strong emotions, we are nearly blind and deaf in perspective
because we don't listen. Be a good listener.

4. Addiction. Alcohol addiction can result to deterioration in the physical

ability to communicate. It’s very well-known that heavy drinking may result
to slurred speech in the short term. Slurred speech can gravely affect the
efficiency of the communication because uttered words are not properly
understood therefore losing its meaning. Alcoholism can lead to a loss of
the ability to express different emotions through tone of voice. The best
solution is to encourage the addicted party to seek help and therapy. Be
supportive on the recovery process.

5. Challenging behavior. People sometimes makes assumptions about

others based on their cultural background and associated stereotypes and
their disabilities. For example, a person has a hearing impairment, instead
of shouting at the person, calmly speak and let him/her read your lips. Use
of gestures, facial expression, and body language enhance the
communication are natural to the Deaf person. Using these will reinforce
the message.

I came to the conclusion that anything that prevents understanding of the

message is a barrier to communication. These barriers cause a breakdown
in communication. But the good news is, both messenger and receiver may
need to be aware of potential barriers so that they can work to overcome
them. Be empathetic. Putting ourselves in
other persons shoes can make us care more which will lead us to better
understanding their situation and what message they are trying to convey.
Effective communication is the key to happy life.