Communication

Barriers

Abhinav Jain
Akash Bachhawat
Akshay Kumar Patni
Piyush Agarwal
Rishabh Jain
Swati Agarwal
Siddharth Belvadi
Virendra Singh
 Communication is the sum of
all the things one person does
when he wants to create
understanding in the mind of
others. It is a bridge of
meaning. It involves a
systematic and continuous
process of telling, listening and
understanding.
–Louis A. Allen
 The Communication Process
Medium
Sender transmits Receiver
message
Receive
Form Encode Decode
encoded
message message message
message

Barriers

Decode Receive Encode Form

feedback feedback feedback feedback
Medium
transmits
feedback
 Types of communication
barriers
 Physical barriers

 Psychological or Personal Barriers

 Semantic or Language Barriers

 Status Barriers

 Organizational Barriers

 Cultural Barriers

Premature Evaluation

 Other Barriers
 Physical barriers
 Obstacle that prevents movement or the flow of
message physically.
 Anything that impedes your progress or movement
physically.

 For example
 Power off while working.
 Unwanted sound while meeting.
 Network down while mailing etc…..
 Ineffective telephone conversation due to
mechanical defect
 Socio-Psychological Barriers

 Attitudes and opinions: We react favorably or are hostile according

as the information is to our personal advantage or not.

 Emotions: We can neither transmit things correctly nor receive if our

mind is agitated.

 Closed mind: We hold our opinion so rigidly that we just refuse to

listen.

 Status-consciousness: We are over-conscious of our low or high

rank and do not express ourselves candidly.

 The source of communication: We react according to the trust we

repose in the source from which the communication originates.
 Faulty transmission: Part of the message is lost in
transmission.

 Poor retention: Oral messages in particular are lost due

to poor human retention.

 Unsolicited communication: We are unresponsive if

the communication is unsolicited.
 Semantic Barriers
The same words may convey different meanings to
different people. People interpret words and symbols
in terms of their own experience and thinking. When
the sender and the receiver interpret the message
differently, misunderstanding arises. In some cases,
the receiver may not understand the language used
by the sender.

Examples

 Badly expressed Message

 Symbols or words with different meanings
 Faulty Translations
 Unqualified Assumptions
 Technical jargon
 Body language and gesture decoding
 Status Barriers
 Superior-subordinate relationship in the
formal organisation structure may obstruct
free flow of information. It distorts
downward and upward communication.

 Example
Subordinates tend to convey only those messages
which the superiors would appreciate.
 Organizational Barriers
When the organisation structure is complex comprising of several layers of
management, breakdown or distortion in communication may arise. Due to
long lines of communication, flow of information gets delayed and distorted.
Some major organizational hindrances in the way of communication are the
following:-

 Organizational Policies
 Rules and regulations
 Status
 Complexity
 Organizational facilities
 CULTURAL BARRIERS
There are some issues that can
separate one person from another
and can create barrier between
them.
 Age
 Religion
 Education
 Gender
 Social status, standards
 Economic position
 Cultural background
 Health
 Beauty
 Popularity, priority
 Political belief
 Ethics, values, motives
 Rules/regulations
 Premature Evaluation

 Some people are in the habit of forming a

judgement before reading/listening to the
entire message. This tendency is called
premature evaluation.
 Other Barriers

 Lack of time
 Gender barriers
 Badly expressed messages
 Communication overload
 Pressure of work
 Overcoming Barriers
 Learn to use feedback well.
 Be sensitive to receiver’s point of view.
 Listen to UNDERSTAND!
 Use direct, simple language, or at least use
language appropriate to the receiver.
 Use proper channel(s). Learn to use
channels well.
 Learn to use supportive communication, not
defensive communication.
 References:
 Singla,R.K. (2009). Business Studies. New Delhi, V.K.Enterprises.

 Sinha,K.K. (2003). Business Communication (2nd edition). New Delhi,

Galgotia Publishing Company.

 Owens, R. (1991). Organizational behavior in education (6th ed.).

Portland, OR: Alyn & Bacon.