Communication and its barriers

1
Communication and its barriers

• Communication is a process beginning with a
  sender who encodes the message and passes it
  through some channel to the receiver who decodes
  the message. Communication is fruitful if and
  only if the messages sent by the sender is
  interpreted with same meaning by the receiver.

2
The Communication Process
I take sugar in my tea
Source
Encoding
Channel
Decoding
Receiver
Message
Message
Message
Message
3
The Communication Process
Feedback
Receiver
Encoding
Channel
Decoding
Source
Message
Message
Message
Message
One lump or two?
4
Communication Feedback

• We may say that communication has occurred only
  when the message has been understood.
• Understanding occurs in the mind of the receiver.
• Feedback is critical to ensure that accurate
  understanding of the message has occurred.

5
Communication

• Methods
• Verbal face to face
• Written
• Electronic
• Visual
• Audio
• Group meetings
• Notice boards
• Text!

6
Communication

• Medium
• Letters
• Memo
• Report
• Notice board
• Faxes
• Telephone
• E-mail
• Face to face
• Body language
• Video/video conferencing
• Internet

7
Barriers toCommunication

• Barriers to accurate communication
• Unfamiliar language including dialects and
  accents
• Improper timing Is the boss distracted today?
• Noise and distractions in the environment
• Attitude of both the source and the receiver
• Differences between people gender, age,
  culture, education, intelligence, etc.
• Relationship between the sender and the receiver
  status, boss-employee, parent-child, etc.

8
Barriers to Communications

• Filtering manipulation of information so that
  it will seem more favorably to the receiver.
• Selective Perception receiver hears message
  based on his/her interests, needs, motivations,
  experience, background and other personal
  characteristics.
• Defensiveness response when receiver interprets
  message as threatening
• Language Words mean different things to
  different people.

9
Listening barriers

• Interrupting the speakerNot maintaining eye
  contact with the speakerRushing the speaker to
  complete what he/she has to sayMaking the
  speaker feel as though he/she is wasting the
  listener's timeBeing distracted by something
  that is not part of the on going
  communicationGetting ahead of the speaker and
  completing his/her thoughts

10
Listening Barriers

• Ignoring the speaker's requestsTopping the
  speaker's story with one's own set
  of examplesForgetting what is being
  discussed Asking too many questions, for they
  sake of probing

11
Barriers while speaking

• Unclear messages
• Lack of consistency in the communication process
• Incomplete sentences
• Not understanding the receiver
• Not seeking clarifications while communicating

12
Action to be taken to overcome barriers of
effective communication

• The effectiveness of the communication process is
  dependent upon the capabilities of the senders
  and receivers

13
Sender

• WHO To whom should the message go ?WHY Why
  am I communicating ? what are my motives ?WHAT
  Decide what to communicate. Be clear about what
  you need to communicate.WHEN Choose the best
  time for optimum reception.

14
Senders Role

• HOW Use language the receiver will understand
  and which unambiguous.WHERE Choose a location
  which will not interfere with the reception,
  understanding and acceptance of the message.Keep
  checking with the receiver.

15
Receivers Role

• ReceiverBe fully ATTENTIVE to senderListen
  ACTIVELY to the messages being sent.ASK for
  clarifications, reception where necessary.Keep
  checking with sender.

16
Mutual Expedition

• TogetherRealize that misunderstandings are bound
  to occur, and be ALERT for all cues to this
  effect.LISTEN, listen, listen, and listen
  again.TEST your understanding of the
  message.Share OPINIONS, feelings and perceptions
  generated by the message.

17
Principal Barriers

• The principal barriers to effective communication
  are
• Noise
• Poor feedback,
• Selection of inappropriate media,
• Wrong mental attitude,
• Insufficient or lack of attention to work
  selection,
• Delay in message transmittal,
• Physical separation of the sender and receiver,
• Lack of empathy or a good relationship between
  the sender and receiver

18
The Ten Commandments of Good Communication

• Seek to clarify your ideas before communicating
• Examine the true purpose of each communication
• Consider the total physical and human setting
• Consult with others in planning communications
• Be mindful of the overtones as well as the basic
  content of your message

• Take the opportunity to convey something of help
  or value to the receiver
• Follow-up your communication
• Communicate for tomorrow as well as today
• Be sure your actions support your communications
• Seek not only to be understood but to understand
  - be a good listener

19
The End

• THANK YOU