Barriers to Communication
A barrier is anything that hinders the exchange of information. Some barriers may not be that severe and only cause slight confusion which can be worked around, while others can result in the complete disruption of all communication efforts.
Barriers in General Communication
Problems With Technology
When attempting to communicate using or with the aid of technology there are many potential barriers that can make it difficult to sucessfully convey information.
Hardware issues are one of the more common issues that can occur, such as a projector malfunctioning while giving a presentation or a microphone not working when using VOIP software. Issues with hardware can cripple attempts to communicate digitally and severely impair presentations that are reliant on powerpoints or other computer sourced materials.
Software can also create barriers if the user is unfamiliar with it, the settings have been configured differently or there is a virus present on the system.
If a user is unfamiliar with a software package it can make communicating using it very difficult. This means they may not be able to successfully convey the information they intended to due to incompetence with the software. An example would be a user who is unfamiliar with powerpoint software, they will not be able to produce powerpoints of the same quality as someone who is competent in using it and so their presentations will not convey the same level of information.
If settings are changed in a program or on the system it can impede communication, especially if the user is unable to revert the settings or otherwise change them to resolve an issue.
The most common issue with settings is the firewall. If the firewall is not configured correctly then it can interfere with certain programs.
For example, using Skype requires that the firewall be configured to allow the program to send and receive data packets.
If the firewall is set to block incoming packets for Skype or to block its attempts to send them outside of the network then the user will be unable to use the program until the settings are reverted back to normal.
Language Used
Unsuitable Terminology
A key component of successful communication is the correct use of terminology, meaning it is not too complex or too simple for the listeners.If the terminology is too advanced then the audience may become increasingly irate. This is because the constant use of advanced terms can confuse audience members who struggle to understand the jargon.
The audience's confusion can quickly turn to frustration and then anger at their inability to understand the content, which causes them to lose interest in the presentation and so creates a barrier.
On the other hand, if the terminology used is too simple it can cause the audience to feel that they are being patronised. In such instances this can easily lead to boredom amongst audience members, resulting in a total lack of interest in what is being said as they may feel there is nothing new to be learnt by listening.
Use of Slang or other Colloquialisms
If a speaker is using slang or any other colloquialisms that the listener is unfamiliar with it can severely impede communication.This is due to the fact that slang terms are often heavily localised and so unheard of to outsiders. In a presentation scenario it is likely that there are audience members from different areas who each have their own understanding of different slang terms.
This can cause confusion where two or more parties attribute different meanings to the same terms, as such they should always be avoided when communicating unless there is a guarantee that all those listening are familiar with the terms used and their intended meanings.
Reducing Barriers in General Communication
Individuals who find technology to be creating barriers can reduce them by undergoing training with the tech. This will improve their familiarity with the technology and so allow them to communicate more effectively using it.
When communicating over the internet users should test their firewall and router settings to check that the correct ports are open, allowing the necessary data packets to be exchanged so that communication can take place.
In instances where hardware is being used as an aid to communication it is important to test it before attempting to use it for communication. This will ensure that there are no issues that cause interruptions such as speakers or webcams not working correctly.
Researching the target audience before a presentation allows speakers to get an idea of their audience's range of language skills and vocabulary. This allows speakers to tailor their language to suit the audience, optimising the effectiveness of their communication.
Avoiding the use of slang terms, acronyms and overly complicated jargon reduces barriers between the speaker and their audience as they can communicate clearly in terms the audience will understand.
Barriers to Interpersonal Communication
Body Language Conveying Negative Emotions
If the speaker is feeling negative emotions they will not only be reflected in their communication, but will also subconsciously influence how they communicate.
For example, if they are feeling anger it will show in their body language through subtly aggressive gestures such as finger pointing and less controlled hand movements.
If the speaker is feeling upset it will show through gestures such as looking at the ground and resting hands behind their head.
The influence of negative emotions will usually result in increased usage of negative language, another barrier that hurts communication efforts by conveying a sense of disinterest throughout a dialogue or presentation.
This disinterest is displayed through either party's body language becoming increasingly negative, the aforementioned lack of eye contact and resting hands in addition to crossed arms and constantly checking the time; all of which further convey the sense of disinterest.
Background Interference
Attempts to communicate face to face can be impeded by a number of distractions and noises in the background, such as other people talking loudly nearby or phones ringing in an office.
These noises can affect both partie's communications as they cause a loss of focus, resulting in one person not being able to clearly make out what the other is saying. Background noises such as construction work, IT hardware and other conversations may also cause the speaker to lose track of what they intend to say, leading to ineffective communication between those involved.
Reducing Barriers in Interpersonal Communication
Constant awareness of one's own body language is an effective measure to reducing barriers, as it allows the speaker to further convey their desired information through positive body language that will be picked up on by the audience.
For example, maintaining eye contact in a conversation conveys to the speaker that the listener is engaged and interested, which is a positive sign that encourages the speaker to continue. If the speaker is making use of hand gestures it will convey to the listner(s) that the speaker is passionate about the topic, capturing their attention as well as aiding the speaker in illustrating points or their opinions.
In situations where the source of interference is outside the room or building it is adviseable to close windows or doors, which will decrease or completely silence the noise and so allow conversations to continue unimpeded.
If for any reason this is not an option or is insufficient, the next logical step is to temporarily move to a quieter area such as a different office for the duration of the conversation or meeting.
In crowded areas where the noise is unavoidable instant messaging or SMS can be used, giving the option of silent communication that will be unaffected by any external stimuli.
In office scenarios the use of partitions can be effective in discouraging conversations and so reducing the amount of background interference occuring. This means that most conversation taking place will be unimpaired by trivial chats or discussions happening in the office.
Barriers to Written Communication
Grammatical Errors
When communicating using text it is crucial that the document contains as few spelling and grammar errors as possible to ensure the recipient can make sense of it without having to comb through and guess what the writer intended to say. In instances where there are several errors the reader may interpret the message in a very different way than the author intended.
Grammatical errors make it difficult to communicate as they can degrade the quality of a document to such a degree that it takes a great deal of concentration to decipher correctly.
If written communication is occuring between people who do not speak the same native language then grammatical accuracy becomes an even higher priority as even slight inaccuracies can cause total confusion to the non native party, meaning the communication efforts are wholly ineffective.
Documents containing frequent errors will be perceived by readers as unprofessional, leading to a negative portrayal of the individual or organisation that produced it.
Lack of Structural Formatting
Formatting a document correctly gives it structure and makes it easier to read, meaning it is more effective at conveying information.
Documents that do not make use of headings and subheadings tend to require a greater deal of effort to read as there is no indication of where different topics are located. This results in readers having to comb through the document until they locate keywords relating to the topic they are trying to find, which can drastically increase the amount of time it takes to find the desired information.
Another barrier is the absence of bullet points, which are especially important in documents that feature lists or sequential instructions. Without bulleted formatting these lists are read as walls of text, making it difficult for the reader to dechipher the difference between each item on the list or the point where one instruction ends and the next begins. This can lead to instructions being carried out incorrectly, a sign of a large barrier to the intended communication.
Documents that have an inconsistent layout or lack a logical structure act as a barrier, this is because the human mind finds it easier to read well structured documents that flow in a logical order. An example would be a document that features large walls of text with very few paragraphs thrown in at seemingly random points. Walls of text are very difficult to read as the reader is likely to lose interest or find it hard to absorb all the information presented in one chunk. If the text does not progress logically, such as changing topics mid paragraph, readers may become confused about the content. An example of illogical ordering would be jumping back and forward through topics, presenting them in a fragmented structure as opposed to presenting each topic fully in its own section.
Reducing Barriers in Written Communication
When writing a document the author should take their time, ensuring they don't rush through the process and leave several unnoticed errors. By writing at a slower pace they will have time to think more thoroughly about the spelling of words as well as having increased consideration for grammatical rules such as the use of fragments in place of full stops.
Proofreading a document before sending it to the recipient is one of the most effective and important measures that can be taken to reduce barriers in communication. By re-reading or having a friend read over the document the chances of identifying errors massively increases, resulting in the document containing fewer mistakes that could create barriers or confusion amongst recipients.
Making use of formatting techniques such as bullet points/numbering and headings/subheadings give documents a logical and ordered structure that makes them easier to read and to identify specific information. Formatting text with italics, underlining and bold fonts further increase the ease of reading, attracting the reader's attention to important areas without them having to comb through text searching for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment