BARRIERS & BREAKDOWNS IN COMMUNICATION

BARRIERS & BREAKDOWNS IN COMMUNICATION

The managers frequently cite communication breakdowns as one of their most important problems. However, communication problems are often symptoms of more deeply rooted problems. For example, poor planning may be cause ofuncertainty about the direction of the firm, Similarly, a poorly designed organisation structure may not clearly communicate organisational relationships. Vague performance standards may leave people uncertain about what is expected of them. Thus the perceptive manager will look for the causes of communication problems instead of just dealing with the symptoms. Barriers can exist in the sender, in the transmission of the message, in the receiver, or in the feedback. Specific communication barriers are discussed below :

(i) Lack of Planning: Good communication seldom happens by chance. Too often people start talking and writing without first thinking, planning and stating the purpose of the message. Giving the reasons for a directive, selecting the most appropriate channel, and choosing proper timing can greatly improve understanding and reduce resistance to change.

(ii) Unclarified Assumptions: Often overlooked, yet very important, are the uncommunicated assumptions that underlie messages. A customer may send a note stating that he will visit a vendor’s plant. Then he may assumethat the vendor will meet him at the airport, reserve a hotel room, arrange for transportation, and set up a fullscale review of the programme at the plant. But the vendor may assume that the customer is coming to town mainly to attend a wedding and will make a routine call at the plant. These unclarified assumptions in both instances may result in confusion and the loss of goodwill.

(iii) Poorly Expressed Message: No matter how clear the idea in the mind of the sender of communication, it may still be marked by poorly chosen words, omissions, lack of coherence, poor organisation of ideas, awkward sentence structure, unnecessary jargons and a failure to clarify the implications of the message. This lack of clarity and precision, which can be costly, can be avoided through greater care in encoding the message.

(iv) Loss of Transmission and Poor Retention: In a series of transmissions from one person to next, the message becomes less and less accurate. Poor retention of information is another serious problem. Thus the necessity of repeating the message and using more than one channel is rather obvious. The loss may also be due to long distance, distracting noises and similar interferences.

(v) Poor Listening and Premature Evaluation: There are many talkers but few listeners. Everyone probably has observed people entering a discussion with comments that have no relation to the topic. One reason may be that these persons are pondering over their own problems - such as preserving their own egos or making a good impression on other group members instead of listening to the conversation. Listening demands full attention and self-discipline. It also requires that the listener avoid premature evaluation of what another person has to say. A common tendency is to judge to approve or disapprove what is being said- rather than trying to understand the speakers frame of reference. Yet listening without making hasty judgements can make the whole enterprise more effective and efficient. For example, sympathetic listening can result in better labour management relations and greater understanding among managers. Specially sales personnel may better understand the problems of production people, and the credit manager may realize that an over-restrict credit policy may lead to adisproportionate loss in sales. In short, listening with empathy can reduce some of the daily frustrations in organised lies and result in better communication.

(vi) Semantic Distortion: Semantic is the science of the meaning of words and symbols. Another barrier to effective communication is semantic distortion, which can be deliberate or accidental. An advertisement that states ‘we sell for less’ is deliberately ambiguous; it raises the question - less than what? Words may evoke different responses. To some people the ‘Government’ may mean interference or deficit spending; to others, the same word may mean help, equalization, and justice.

(vii) Distrust, Threat and Fear: Distrust, threat and fear undermine communication. In a climate containing these factors, any message will be viewed with skepticism. Distrust can be the result of inconsistent behaviour by the superior, or it can be due to past experiences in which the subordinate was punished for honestly reporting unfavourable, but true, information to the boss. Similarly, in the light of threats - whether real or imagined - people tend to tighten up, become defensive, and distort information. What is needed is a climate of trust, which facilitates open and honest, communication. Other personal barriers may arise from the judgements, emotions and social values of people. They cause psychological distance between the people, which may prevent communication. Our emotions, for example, act as filters in nearly all our communications. We see or hear what we are emotionally tuned to see or hear. Thus communication can not be separated from the personality itself.

(viii) Insufficient Period for adjustment to Change: The purpose of communication is to effect change that may seriously concern employees: shifts in the time, place, type and order of work or shifts in group arrangements or skills to be used. Some communications point to the need for further training, career adjustment, or status arrangements. Change affects people in different ways, and it may take time to think through the full meaning of a message. Consequently, for maximum efficiency, it is important not to force change before people can adjust to its implications.

(ix) Information Overload: One might think that more and unrestricted information flow would help people overcome communication problems. But unrestricted flow may result in too much information. People respond to information overload in various ways. First, they may disregard certain information. A person getting too much mail may ignore letters that should be answered. Second, if they are overwhelmed with too much information, people make errors in processing it. For example, they may leave out the word ‘not’ in a message, which reverses the intended meaning.Third, people may delay processing information either permanently or with the intention of catching up in the future. Fourth, people may filter information. Finally, people respond to information overload by simply escaping from the task of communication. Efforts should be made to reduce theinformation overload at each level.