Communication barriers
Overview
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Communication barriers
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Types of communication barriers
Sender barriers and receiver barriers
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Attitudes and values
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Valuing differences
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Environmental barriers
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Managing environmental factors
Summary
Team participation skills
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Team participation skills
Overview
Communication barriers can interfere with or block the message you are
trying to send. This topic will help you to:

recognise the barriers to communication which prevent messages being
sent and received successfully

develop communication skills to overcome these barriers.
Inside this topic
Team participation skills

Communication breakdown

Types of communication barriers

Sender barriers and receiver barriers

Attitudes and values

Dealing with change

Valuing differences

Bias generalisations and stereotyping

Cultural awareness

Environmental barriers
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Communication barriers
Activity 1: Communication breakdown
Look at the illustration below. Why do you think there has been a breakdown in
communication? What barriers can you see?
Figure 1
Comment
The breakdown occurred because Fran, the manager, assumed too much
about Bill. She thinks he is a good worker but hasn’t told him. She assumes
he knows her views without having told him. She didn’t listen when he said
he was busy. So, the sender of a message must think about the feelings of
the receiver.
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But the person receiving the message has a responsibility, too.
Communication isn’t successful until there is feedback. Bill should be
honest with Fran and let her know how he feels. Bill didn’t give feedback to
let her know his feelings. Bill doesn’t know that Fran, his manager, values
his work. Both Fran and Bill contributed to the communication barriers.
Types of communication barriers
There are many different factors that can create barriers to effective
communication.
Language barriers
Language barriers occur when people do not speak the same language, or do
not have the same level of ability in a language. However, barriers can also
occur when people are speaking the same language. Sometimes barriers
occur when we use inappropriate levels of language (too formal or informal)
or we use jargon or slang which is not understood by one or more of the
people communicating.
Often the situation in which the conversation is taking place, and whether or
not people have prior experience of the matter being discussed, can also
contribute to such barriers being formed.
Overcoming language barriers
Remember that preparation is an important part of communication.
Think about:

who you are communicating with

what their language needs may be.
Using visuals (photographs, drawings, diagrams and so on) can help to
overcome language barriers as can using appropriate non-verbal
communication. Be aware, however, that different situations and different
cultures (including workplace cultures) have varying interpretations of nonverbal communication. What is acceptable in one culture may be offensive
in another. What is clear to you may not be clear to others: a nod for ‘yes’
may not mean the same thing in another country! See ‘Take care with
gestures’ in Section 2 for more examples.
The quality of your voice is also important for clear communication. Be sure
to speak with appropriate volume for the situation and use clear diction.
Listening actively to other people and letting them know that you are
listening (nodding, asking questions etc) is an excellent way to overcome
language barriers.
Team participation skills
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Conversational bad habits
There are many bad habits we can have in conversation:

Sometimes we judge the other person by criticising them, calling them
names or diagnosing them (for example, ‘you’re stupid’ or ‘you are only
saying that because you know you should have spent more time on it’).

Another bad habit is sending solutions to the other by threatening,
moralising, asking too many questions or advising them. For example,
‘You should apologise.’ ‘If I were you…’.

Another common, but very negative, conversational habit is avoiding
the other person’s concerns by changing the subject, offering a ‘logical ‘
argument or reassuring the person, ‘It’ll be ok. The same happened to a
friend of mine…’
Often people just want you to listen. Prejudging helps no one. People have
the right to make mistakes. In the workplace, the important thing is to get
the job done and to help each other to do this.
Sending solutions may not always be your business and will often not be
appreciated. People must make their own decisions. We often reassure the
person because we are embarrassed about facing others’ emotions.
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Sender barriers and receiver barriers
Both senders and receivers sometimes create barriers that affect
communication.
Activity 2: Sender or receiver barrier?
Read each statement, then tick the box to indicate whether you think it is a sender barrier, a
receiver barrier or both (in which case, tick both columns).
Sender
Receiver
1 Becoming distracted or daydreaming
2 Interrupting
3 Fixing other people’s problems
4 Finishing another person’s sentences
5 Making assumptions about people based on their accents or dress
6 Bias towards your own values and experience
7 Overusing closed questions
8 Not being aware of non-verbal cues
9 Jumping to conclusions
10 Not making sure you’ve got their attention
11 Body language that doesn’t fit (incongruent), such as nodding but frowning
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Comment
‘Receiver’ is the correct answer for 1, 2, 3, 4, 9 and 11. Both ‘Sender’ and
‘Receiver’ are correct answers for 5, 6 and 8 and ‘Sender’ is the correct
answer for 10.
Are you surprised with how many barriers come from the receiver? By now,
you are realising that it’s not just the responsibility of the person sending
the message but also the responsibility of the person receiving the message
for communication to be effective.
Attitudes and values
A common cause of communication breakdown in a workplace situation is
people holding different attitudes and values. An example of this is differing
perceptions people have of power and status.
Some people may think that they should treat people or be treated
differently based on what they perceive as their status or power within a
workplace or in the community. If they think that managers and supervisors
have power over staff, for example that they can allocate duties, reward,
promote, or dismiss staff, this may lead to barriers before the
communication even takes place.
However, what one person considers power and control might be considered
leadership or mentoring by another person. Effective communication is
necessary no matter what level or position you occupy. If you feel someone
is trying to exert power or control over you, communicate this to them.
Dealing with change
We all bring our own attitudes and values to our behaviour in the workplace
or community. Workplace change can highlight very different attitudes and
values. When faced with workplace change, people’s behaviour may be very
different. People react differently to change.
Change in the workplace causes us to face minor and major changes.
Sometimes people view change as good, but sometimes they feels that
change is happening too fast, too often, or without bringing any real benefit.
When people can’t see a good reason for change, they are more likely to
resist. We need to deal with potential barriers because of these differences in
attitudes.
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Team participation skills
Case study: CommInc
Tran has worked for CommInc for ten years. He is the longest serving staff
member. Tran remembers all the people who have ever worked there and is
the one everyone goes to if they need to know how things are usually done.
Tran is a dedicated worker and has received awards and citations for his
work. Unfortunately, Tran is planning to leave CommInc. Tran’s main
reason for leaving is that the company executives are planning to totally
rearrange the office and storeroom at CommInc and restructure the work
methods for the despatch section where he does so much work. Tran does
not like change.
How will it affect the organisation by Tran’s leaving? It is expensive to
retrain someone. And Tran is a good worker. Think about how the
organisation can help Tran with accepting the change.
Being closed to change is an attitude which can be a very important barrier
to communication. Remember, being closed to change means
communication will be blocked as the person who should receive the
message does not want to listen, contribute to the exchange of ideas or share
information.
Change is an important feature of the modern workplace. We need to be
sensitive and accept that people have different attitudes to change and that
we need to help people accept change. We must listen with empathy for
their verbal and non-verbal feedback.
Promoting change
Strategies for managing change need to consider everyone involved. If we
want to help people to change we should:

provide information

ensure everyone is fully and clearly informed

provide the information in small, manageable doses

be prepared

know what the core issues are that you want to change and don’t be
distracted by irrelevant side-issues

be prepared to have some parts of the communication traded or changed
to encourage a spirit of compromise

give people options and a way out

talk and listen

consider people’s feelings

give people an opportunity to express themselves and listen
Team participation skills
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
wrap bad news in some good news

be open to feedback

enlist some help

win over influential people and enlist them to help spread the message

be open to ideas and advice.
You will need to use strategies that will create an open communication
environment where barriers can be more easily identified. Bringing about
positive change requires careful management and open communication.
You will get a better commitment to change if you make sure that everyone
affected has an opportunity to participate. When people are consulted about
the need for change, they can make a valuable contribution and feel a sense
of ownership in the outcomes.
Valuing differences
Australia’s multicultural society means we have a great variety of cultural
groups with differing beliefs, behaviours and experiences. For our
workforce this means we have the richness of diverse experiences to draw
on.
If you are aware of how your attitudes and values contribute to your
identity, you will be more sensitive to the attitudes and values of others.
This will help you to avoid or overcome communication barriers. You will
be able to help people at work make the most of the range of experiences
available to you.
But to work effectively, you must first be open to understanding how culture
can influence behaviour and communication styles. Your workplace will
also benefit from supporting and mentoring people with special needs, such
as physical or mental needs.
Discrimination
Discrimination arises when people make judgments about individuals or
groups without thinking clearly. Behaviours such as stereotyping, bias and
prejudice are forms of discrimination. When people discriminate, they make
decisions without bothering to get all the necessary information about the
people they are judging.
Discrimination causes people to miss out on the value of difference, and the
benefits that individuals and groups bring to any situation. Valuing people
who are different allows you to draw on a broader range of insights, ideas,
experience and knowledge.
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Team participation skills
Each person’s uniqueness comes from personal characteristics such as:

race

gender

education

age

ability

lifestyle

experience.
Let’s see how these factors apply to CommInc staff.
Case study: CommInc staff
Peri
Peri has travelled widely. He knows that if he uses gestures that are familiar
at home or in his office, they may not be understood or welcome in other
settings.
Tran
Tran has been raised to respect a person’s space, and would never step over
a fellow worker’s legs to get past, as that is considered rude. Some other
actions that can appear rude to different people include showing the soles of
your feet to others, walking between people who are talking, or standing too
close to people you don’t know well.
Alex
Alex has been raised to think the pub is the place where friendships are
formed and consolidated. Alex was offended when Salwa refused to come
for a beer after work. Salwa explained that she does not drink for religious
reasons. Alex is now comfortable about her refusal and doesn’t take it
personally.
CommInc staff have been encouraged to treat each other as equals and
warned that discrimination will not be tolerated. CommInc values the
diversity staff contribute and has a motto: ‘If you can do the job, nothing
else matters’. This means that, whatever your race, religion, politics or
sexual preference, you will be treated equally.
Team participation skills
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Bias, generalisations and stereotyping
These behaviours can cause communication barriers. Having these attitudes
and not confronting them is not just wrong, it’s bad for business. In the
workplace, such attitudes can cost the organisation time and money.
Stereotyping occurs when you assume you know something about a person
because of their cultural or social background. Your views may come from a
bias you may have against a particular behaviour, appearance, possession or
even a particular geographical area.
An example of generalisation is where you know one person from a
particular background and then generalise that all people from that
background are the same.
Your situation, appearance and behaviour may contribute to other people’s
stereotyped views. This could contribute to communication breakdown.
Learn to treat everyone as an individual. You will open up the channels for
communication and overcome the barriers based on discrimination.
Cultural awareness
Communicating with people of different cultures and backgrounds means
becoming aware of the differences in values, beliefs and attitudes that
people hold.
Empathy is important for overcoming barriers to communication based on
culture. Empathy means sensing the feelings and attitudes of others as if we
had experienced them personally. There is a common expression that
describes how you can develop empathy: ‘You need to walk a mile in
another person’s shoes’.
There are many techniques involved in creating empathy. We can try:
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
respecting other’s feelings and attitudes

using active listening skills

encouraging involvement of others by asking questions while respecting
personal privacy

using open body language and an encouraging vocal tone

taking other people’s fears and concerns into consideration.

refraining from giving unsolicited advice.

not blaming, instead working towards a solution.
Team participation skills
Environmental barriers
Not all barriers to communication are caused by people. There are many
environmental factors affecting the effective communication process.
Messages can be blocked by environmental factors, such as the physical
setting or the situation where communication takes place.
Managing environmental factors
Here are some points to help you manage environmental factors for
effective communication when in teams.

Team meeting rooms should be cool but not cold. A warm room makes
participants sleepy; a cold room can make them very unhappy!

Make sure that the environment is comfortable and secure. People need
to feel safe before they will listen or offer suggestions.

Check that nothing behind or near the team member will cause
distraction (for example, activity seen through an open window or door;
a television screen).

Turn off your mobile phone when you are communicating with other
people.

Wait until machinery (or any other distracting noise) is turned off before
you even try to communicate. If this is not possible, move to a quieter
location.

Use accepted format in any written communication (letters,
memorandums and reports) and, if it’s important, check with someone
beforehand that they can understand it.
As a communicator, you need to think about what are the potential and real
environmental barriers in your workplace or community.
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Summary
Communication is about sharing meaning. With no sharing, there is no
communication. To communicate successfully in a team or with others, at
work or in the community, you need to understand the communication
environment and the barriers which prevent messages being sent and
received successfully.
As senders we must monitor feedback and change out communication to
suit the diversity of the person with whom we are communicating. We are
fortunate to have a richness of different experiences in our Australian
workplaces to tap into.
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Team participation skills