Topic 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication means minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
Miscommunication can originate at three levels: at the level of the transmitter (sender), or the medium, or the receiver. Anything that hinders free flow of communication is called ‘noise’; it could also be referred to as simply as ‘barriers’ to communication. It is important to consider potential barriers to communication before sending a message so as to enhance communication effectiveness.
Barriers of Communication
- Wrong choice of medium: unsuitable medium may act as a barrier to effective communication
- Physical barriers:
- Noise: could be used to refer to all kinds of physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies, electronic noise such as blaring etc
- Time and distance: could act as barriers to the smooth flow of communication
- Environmental stress: weather conditions such as high temperature, humidity, poor ventilation etc could contribute to distortions in the sending and receiving of messages
- Subjective stress: e.g sleepiness, ill health, drug effects
- Semantic barriers: semantics refer to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in a different way according to their mental attitude and understanding
- Interpretation of words: it is quite possible that the receiver of a message doesn’t assign the same meaning to a word as the sender had intended. E.g value (price, importance, satisfaction, sums)
- Bypassed instructions: bypassing occurs if the sender and receiver of message attach different meanings to the same words or use different words for the same meaning.
- Mechanical barriers: this is ‘channel noise’. Channels become barriers when the message is interfered with by some disturbance which (i) increased the difficulty in reception (ii) prevented some elements of the message reaching its destination or both e.g network issues
- Psychological barriers: may be due to some social or psychological problems.
- Attitudes, opinions and self-image: if information from sender agrees with the receivers opinions & attitudes there’s tendency to receive it favorably
- Emotions: sender shouldn’t communicate while in an emotional excitement state. Similarly, receiver shouldn’t react to messages sent if they are emotionally troubled
- Closed mind: this is someone not prepared to reconsider their opinions
- Poor retention: this is mainly on receivers end and it leads to incomplete responses/feedback
Measures to Overcome Communication Barriers
The following are some measures which may be adopted by the management to overcome the barriers and maintain the effectiveness of communication:
- Take steps to ensure the organization structure is straightforward and communication lines are simple, clear and direct
- Communication must be well planned and well-constructed. Why, whom and when are basic questions that should be considered when planning communication
- Medium and method of communication should be chosen carefully to suit the particular communication needs
- The flow of communication should be carefully regulated to maintain optimum flow
- Efforts should be made to improve human relations within the organization to eliminate behavioral barriers to communication
In place of formal relationships, a climate of trust and confidence should be created to
Topic 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication means minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
Miscommunication can originate at three levels: at the level of the transmitter (sender), or the medium, or the receiver. Anything that hinders free flow of communication is called ‘noise’; it could also be referred to as simply as ‘barriers’ to communication. It is important to consider potential barriers to communication before sending a message so as to enhance communication effectiveness.
Barriers of Communication
- Wrong choice of medium: unsuitable medium may act as a barrier to effective communication
- Physical barriers:
- Noise: could be used to refer to all kinds of physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies, electronic noise such as blaring etc
- Time and distance: could act as barriers to the smooth flow of communication
- Environmental stress: weather conditions such as high temperature, humidity, poor ventilation etc could contribute to distortions in the sending and receiving of messages
- Subjective stress: e.g sleepiness, ill health, drug effects
- Semantic barriers: semantics refer to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in a different way according to their mental attitude and understanding
- Interpretation of words: it is quite possible that the receiver of a message doesn’t assign the same meaning to a word as the sender had intended. E.g value (price, importance, satisfaction, sums)
- Bypassed instructions: bypassing occurs if the sender and receiver of message attach different meanings to the same words or use different words for the same meaning.
- Mechanical barriers: this is ‘channel noise’. Channels become barriers when the message is interfered with by some disturbance which (i) increased the difficulty in reception (ii) prevented some elements of the message reaching its destination or both e.g network issues
- Psychological barriers: may be due to some social or psychological problems.
- Attitudes, opinions and self-image: if information from sender agrees with the receivers opinions & attitudes there’s tendency to receive it favorably
- Emotions: sender shouldn’t communicate while in an emotional excitement state. Similarly, receiver shouldn’t react to messages sent if they are emotionally troubled
- Closed mind: this is someone not prepared to reconsider their opinions
- Poor retention: this is mainly on receivers end and it leads to incomplete responses/feedback
Measures to Overcome Communication Barriers
The following are some measures which may be adopted by the management to overcome the barriers and maintain the effectiveness of communication:
- Take steps to ensure the organization structure is straightforward and communication lines are simple, clear and direct
- Communication must be well planned and well-constructed. Why, whom and when are basic questions that should be considered when planning communication
- Medium and method of communication should be chosen carefully to suit the particular communication needs
- The flow of communication should be carefully regulated to maintain optimum flow
- Efforts should be made to improve human relations within the organization to eliminate behavioral barriers to communication
In place of formal relationships, a climate of trust and confidence should be created to eliminat
Topic 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication means minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
Miscommunication can originate at three levels: at the level of the transmitter (sender), or the medium, or the receiver. Anything that hinders free flow of communication is called ‘noise’; it could also be referred to as simply as ‘barriers’ to communication. It is important to consider potential barriers to communication before sending a message so as to enhance communication effectiveness.
Barriers of Communication
- Wrong choice of medium: unsuitable medium may act as a barrier to effective communication
- Physical barriers:
- Noise: could be used to refer to all kinds of physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies, electronic noise such as blaring etc
- Time and distance: could act as barriers to the smooth flow of communication
- Environmental stress: weather conditions such as high temperature, humidity, poor ventilation etc could contribute to distortions in the sending and receiving of messages
- Subjective stress: e.g sleepiness, ill health, drug effects
- Semantic barriers: semantics refer to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in a different way according to their mental attitude and understanding
- Interpretation of words: it is quite possible that the receiver of a message doesn’t assign the same meaning to a word as the sender had intended. E.g value (price, importance, satisfaction, sums)
- Bypassed instructions: bypassing occurs if the sender and receiver of message attach different meanings to the same words or use different words for the same meaning.
- Mechanical barriers: this is ‘channel noise’. Channels become barriers when the message is interfered with by some disturbance which (i) increased the difficulty in reception (ii) prevented some elements of the message reaching its destination or both e.g network issues
- Psychological barriers: may be due to some social or psychological problems.
- Attitudes, opinions and self-image: if information from sender agrees with the receivers opinions & attitudes there’s tendency to receive it favorably
- Emotions: sender shouldn’t communicate while in an emotional excitement state. Similarly, receiver shouldn’t react to messages sent if they are emotionally troubled
- Closed mind: this is someone not prepared to reconsider their opinions
- Poor retention: this is mainly on receivers end and it leads to incomplete responses/feedback
Measures to Overcome Communication Barriers
The following are some measures which may be adopted by the management to overcome the barriers and maintain the effectiveness of communication:
- Take steps to ensure the organization structure is straightforward and communication lines are simple, clear and direct
- Communication must be well planned and well-constructed. Why, whom and when are basic questions that should be considered when planning communication
- Medium and method of communication should be chosen carefully to suit the particular communication needs
- The flow of communication should be carefully regulated to maintain optimum flow
- Efforts should be made to improve human relations within the organization to eliminate behavioral barriers to communication
In place of formal relationships, a climate of trust and confidence should be created to eliminat
Topic 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication means minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
Miscommunication can originate at three levels: at the level of the transmitter (sender), or the medium, or the receiver. Anything that hinders free flow of communication is called ‘noise’; it could also be referred to as simply as ‘barriers’ to communication. It is important to consider potential barriers to communication before sending a message so as to enhance communication effectiveness.
Barriers of Communication
- Wrong choice of medium: unsuitable medium may act as a barrier to effective communication
- Physical barriers:
- Noise: could be used to refer to all kinds of physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies, electronic noise such as blaring etc
- Time and distance: could act as barriers to the smooth flow of communication
- Environmental stress: weather conditions such as high temperature, humidity, poor ventilation etc could contribute to distortions in the sending and receiving of messages
- Subjective stress: e.g sleepiness, ill health, drug effects
- Semantic barriers: semantics refer to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in a different way according to their mental attitude and understanding
- Interpretation of words: it is quite possible that the receiver of a message doesn’t assign the same meaning to a word as the sender had intended. E.g value (price, importance, satisfaction, sums)
- Bypassed instructions: bypassing occurs if the sender and receiver of message attach different meanings to the same words or use different words for the same meaning.
- Mechanical barriers: this is ‘channel noise’. Channels become barriers when the message is interfered with by some disturbance which (i) increased the difficulty in reception (ii) prevented some elements of the message reaching its destination or both e.g network issues
- Psychological barriers: may be due to some social or psychological problems.
- Attitudes, opinions and self-image: if information from sender agrees with the receivers opinions & attitudes there’s tendency to receive it favorably
- Emotions: sender shouldn’t communicate while in an emotional excitement state. Similarly, receiver shouldn’t react to messages sent if they are emotionally troubled
- Closed mind: this is someone not prepared to reconsider their opinions
- Poor retention: this is mainly on receivers end and it leads to incomplete responses/feedback
Measures to Overcome Communication Barriers
The following are some measures which may be adopted by the management to overcome the barriers and maintain the effectiveness of communication:
- Take steps to ensure the organization structure is straightforward and communication lines are simple, clear and direct
- Communication must be well planned and well-constructed. Why, whom and when are basic questions that should be considered when planning communication
- Medium and method of communication should be chosen carefully to suit the particular communication needs
- The flow of communication should be carefully regulated to maintain optimum flow
- Efforts should be made to improve human relations within the organization to eliminate behavioral barriers to communication
In place of formal relationships, a climate of trust and confidence should be created to eliminat
Topic 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication means minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
Miscommunication can originate at three levels: at the level of the transmitter (sender), or the medium, or the receiver. Anything that hinders free flow of communication is called ‘noise’; it could also be referred to as simply as ‘barriers’ to communication. It is important to consider potential barriers to communication before sending a message so as to enhance communication effectiveness.
Barriers of Communication
- Wrong choice of medium: unsuitable medium may act as a barrier to effective communication
- Physical barriers:
- Noise: could be used to refer to all kinds of physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies, electronic noise such as blaring etc
- Time and distance: could act as barriers to the smooth flow of communication
- Environmental stress: weather conditions such as high temperature, humidity, poor ventilation etc could contribute to distortions in the sending and receiving of messages
- Subjective stress: e.g sleepiness, ill health, drug effects
- Semantic barriers: semantics refer to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in a different way according to their mental attitude and understanding
- Interpretation of words: it is quite possible that the receiver of a message doesn’t assign the same meaning to a word as the sender had intended. E.g value (price, importance, satisfaction, sums)
- Bypassed instructions: bypassing occurs if the sender and receiver of message attach different meanings to the same words or use different words for the same meaning.
- Mechanical barriers: this is ‘channel noise’. Channels become barriers when the message is interfered with by some disturbance which (i) increased the difficulty in reception (ii) prevented some elements of the message reaching its destination or both e.g network issues
- Psychological barriers: may be due to some social or psychological problems.
- Attitudes, opinions and self-image: if information from sender agrees with the receivers opinions & attitudes there’s tendency to receive it favorably
- Emotions: sender shouldn’t communicate while in an emotional excitement state. Similarly, receiver shouldn’t react to messages sent if they are emotionally troubled
- Closed mind: this is someone not prepared to reconsider their opinions
- Poor retention: this is mainly on receivers end and it leads to incomplete responses/feedback
Measures to Overcome Communication Barriers
The following are some measures which may be adopted by the management to overcome the barriers and maintain the effectiveness of communication:
- Take steps to ensure the organization structure is straightforward and communication lines are simple, clear and direct
- Communication must be well planned and well-constructed. Why, whom and when are basic questions that should be considered when planning communication
- Medium and method of communication should be chosen carefully to suit the particular communication needs
- The flow of communication should be carefully regulated to maintain optimum flow
- Efforts should be made to improve human relations within the organization to eliminate behavioral barriers to communication
In place of formal relationships, a climate of trust and confidence should be created to eliminat
Topic 3: Effective Communication
Effective communication means minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.
Miscommunication can originate at three levels: at the level of the transmitter (sender), or the medium, or the receiver. Anything that hinders free flow of communication is called ‘noise’; it could also be referred to as simply as ‘barriers’ to communication. It is important to consider potential barriers to communication before sending a message so as to enhance communication effectiveness.
Barriers of Communication
- Wrong choice of medium: unsuitable medium may act as a barrier to effective communication
- Physical barriers:
- Noise: could be used to refer to all kinds of physical interference such as illegible handwriting, smudged copies, electronic noise such as blaring etc
- Time and distance: could act as barriers to the smooth flow of communication
- Environmental stress: weather conditions such as high temperature, humidity, poor ventilation etc could contribute to distortions in the sending and receiving of messages
- Subjective stress: e.g sleepiness, ill health, drug effects
- Semantic barriers: semantics refer to meaning of language used. Often the same word is interpreted by different people in a different way according to their mental attitude and understanding
- Interpretation of words: it is quite possible that the receiver of a message doesn’t assign the same meaning to a word as the sender had intended. E.g value (price, importance, satisfaction, sums)
- Bypassed instructions: bypassing occurs if the sender and receiver of message attach different meanings to the same words or use different words for the same meaning.
- Mechanical barriers: this is ‘channel noise’. Channels become barriers when the message is interfered with by some disturbance which (i) increased the difficulty in reception (ii) prevented some elements of the message reaching its destination or both e.g network issues
- Psychological barriers: may be due to some social or psychological problems.
- Attitudes, opinions and self-image: if information from sender agrees with the receivers opinions & attitudes there’s tendency to receive it favorably
- Emotions: sender shouldn’t communicate while in an emotional excitement state. Similarly, receiver shouldn’t react to messages sent if they are emotionally troubled
- Closed mind: this is someone not prepared to reconsider their opinions
- Poor retention: this is mainly on receivers end and it leads to incomplete responses/feedback
Measures to Overcome Communication Barriers
The following are some measures which may be adopted by the management to overcome the barriers and maintain the effectiveness of communication:
- Take steps to ensure the organization structure is straightforward and communication lines are simple, clear and direct
- Communication must be well planned and well-constructed. Why, whom and when are basic questions that should be considered when planning communication
- Medium and method of communication should be chosen carefully to suit the particular communication needs
- The flow of communication should be carefully regulated to maintain optimum flow
- Efforts should be made to improve human relations within the organization to eliminate behavioral barriers to communication
In place of formal relationships, a climate of trust and confidence should be created to eliminate relationship barriers.