BARRIERS TO

COMMUNICATION
• First class

• Today

• Q – what is a barrier to communication

• A – “any obstacle that distorts or blocks
the flow of a message from a sender to a
receiver”

• Simple communication model

• Straightforward/childhood
• Theory vs. practice

• Bicycle example

• Q – “why is communication not always

successful”
• A – “the existence of barriers to
communication”

• Born to communicate

• Development of skills

• Identify and overcome

• Bad and good news

• 3 components

• Sender
• Receiver
• Transmission
• Transmission barriers

• External noises

• Relatively simple

• Real challenge
• Barriers at the sender level

• 1) Sending incomplete/unclear messages

• Two reasons

• Example “meet me about seven tomorrow”

• 2) Language and semantic barriers

• Language – powerful + focused

• Shared definitions
• Semantics
• Q – what is semantics
• “the systematic study of the transmission
of meaning”

• Studying what words actually mean

• Barriers that occur because of words

• Sender and receiver

• Language arbitrary

• Multiple meaning

• Examples – charge + suit

• Spoken words

• Examples – minute and wind

• Verb and noun

• Examples – present + record

• Adjectives and adverbs

• Example – Early

• Example – Far

• Stable words
• Sentences

• Main reason

• Example “a red and a blue carpet”

• Spoken
• Grammar/structure

• Example “Dog for sale. Will eat anything.

Especially likes children. Call 888-3597.

• Q – what do you think the writer meant

• Technical terms

• Filtering: “when a sender manipulates

information or a message in such a way
that it shows him in a more favourable
light and/or will be received more
favourably by the receiver”
• Organisational context

• Everyday context

• Euphemisms

• Q – what is a euphemism
• A – “euphemisms are substitutes for other
words that sound better or bring out more
positive images than the original word”

• Vietnam example

• Military example + job example

• Barriers at the receiver level

• 1) Poor listening or reading

• Lack of attention
• Most likely
• Fast/skimming
• 2) Emotional states

• Encoded/decoded

• Old saying

• Example – upset people

• 3) Socio-Psychological barriers

• Unique personality
• Nature and nurture
• Exact ratio
• Filter
• Definition “problems that arise out of an
individual’s understanding, interpretation
and response to communication due to
socially learnt attributes (i.e. nurture) and
due to his personal attributes (i.e. nature)
are called socio-psychological barriers”
• 3 levels of receiving messages

• 1 – Noticing

• 2 - Understanding

• 3 - Acceptance
• Q – which level do you think most socio –
psychological barriers operate at

• A) self centred attitudes

• Own viewpoint
• Tendency
• Excessive
• b) group identification

• Individual values

• Tendency

• Example – parents and children

• C) self image

• Certain idea

• Truth/exaggeration

• Tendency
• d) selective perception

• e) defensiveness

• threatened
• focus
• example - appraisals
• f) resistance to change
• outright rejection

• g) cross cultural barriers

• Sender and receiver

• Different ways
• Barriers to organisational communication

• Separate
• Importance of organisational communication
• Directions
• Formal vs. informal
• Q – where do you think most barriers to
organisational communication lie?
• Downward communication

• Purpose

• Effectiveness

• 3 main barriers
• 1) 1 way communication

• 2) Differences in values and perceptions

• 3) Filtering

• Q – what do you think can be done to

overcome these barriers
• Maintain regular contact

• Multiple channels

• Upward Communication

• Main purpose
• Secondary purpose
• Barriers include:

• a) attitude of subordinates

• b) attitude of seniors

• c) characteristics of organisation
Barriers to lateral communication

• a) trend of increased specialisation

• b) lack of management recognition and reward

• c) suppression of differences

• Q – what are some ways to overcome these

barriers
• Expand employee awareness

• Liaison roles

• New systems of rewards

• Concluding Tip:

• Accept that there will come times of

miscommunication. Do not get
discouraged as even the best
communicators fail to have perfect
communication. Instead use any events of
miscommunication as an opportunity to
learn and better your skills for the future.