Barriers to Communication

Bad Timing

Communicating a message at a bad time can render the message useless. For example, if an employee sends an email containing rectifications in a project after its delivery, the email may not be of much use.

Cultural Barriers

Culture can act as a barrier if the sender and the receiver of the message come from varying cultures. Varying norms, beliefs, and gestures may lead to problems in communication. For example, the interpretation of a nod varies in different cultures. An American manager in Greece may nod to indicate a "yes," but it may be interpreted as a "no," by Greek employees because of the varying cultural interpretations.

Incomplete message

Giving an unclear or an incomplete message while communicating information can also act as a hindrance to clear communication. For example, leaving out details about relevant dates while communicating information about meetings at the workplace can lead to delayed projects or hurt feelings.

Inadequate Feedback

Inadequate feedback: Not giving adequate feedback while communicating can lead to a breakdown in effective communication. For example, let's assume two coworkers are discussing a project. The receiver of the message does not understand a concept that the sender is trying to explain. However, the receiver avoids giving sufficient feedback to the sender, indicating a lack of understanding. This lack may lead to confusion and communication breakdown.

Lack of Respect

A lack of respect for the sender may lead to a receiver ignoring an important message from the sender. For example, if a team does not respect their manager, the team may ignore an important message from the manager.

Inconsistent Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Inconsistent verbal and nonverbal messages: Communicating a message that shows inconsistency between what the sender of the message is saying and what the sender is showing can lead to communication problems. For example, let's assume that while giving a presentation, you use a diagram to illustrate something. However, the name of the diagram is different from what you are calling it when you are presenting. This difference will result in the listeners getting confused. For example, telling an employee that they did an excellent job on a project would be inconsistent if your nonverbal cues indicated anger or distraction. Crossed arms or furrowed brows might communicate anger. A nonverbal cue indicating distraction might be checking your cell phone while delivering the message.

Language Barriers

Language can act as a barrier if both the sender and the receiver are not well versed with a common language. For example, some employees may have difficulty understanding a manager's instructions if they have a different first language. Therefore, they may not do what their manager expects of them. These misunderstandings can lead to tensions between a manager and the employees.

Receiver Inattention

Not paying attention to the message when it is being communicated can result in the message not being conveyed properly. For example, if you are distracted with your own thoughts when your team leader is giving you feedback about your work, it can result in missed directives.

Poor Layout

Using a hard-to-read and disjointed layout or presentation while communicating information can cause the receiver to avoid reading the message. For example, using a fancy and decorative font in jarring colors while writing a formal email may cause the reader to overlook parts of the message.

Lack of Courtesy

Using insensitive language while communicating can cause the listener to reject the message being communicated. For example, using prejudiced or sexist remarks while communicating with a coworker can result in the coworker ignoring your message but focusing on your remarks.

Wrong Communication Channel

Using the wrong channel of communication can lead to a loss of information and result in incomplete communication. For example, written communication is the best choice for a message with several key points. Verbally communicating important updates about an ongoing project instead of drafting it in an email may result in the receiver not remembering the entire message.

Unclear Words

Using vague or unclear words while carrying out communication can act as a barrier to professional communication. For example, using catchphrases in a professional email, or using slang while communicating at the workplace, may result in the receiver not taking the sender of the message seriously.

Wrong assumptions

Wrong assumptions: Assuming that the receiver of the message knows certain facts can cause misunderstanding and confusion. Let's take the example of a manager who is explaining a concept to a team member. If the manger assumes that the team members are aware of all the technical terms and continues explaining without defining the terms, it can cause a lot of confusion. This confusion may lead to the team members losing track of the conversation.