Barriers to communication

Messages often fail to arrive as intended. The barriers:

• Semantic (about meaning): badly expressed messages; symbols or words with different meanings; faulty translation; unclarified assumptions (a boss says 'take care of our guest', meaning look after him all day, but the guest is only dropped at a hotel); technical jargon; and body language that contradicts the words.
• Psychological: premature evaluation (judging before hearing the whole message); lack of attention (a busy boss not listening); loss of meaning as a message passes through many people; distrust.
• Organisational: company policy, rigid rules, status differences, a complex structure with many levels (which delays and distorts messages), and a lack of facilities.
• Personal: a superior's fear of a challenge to his authority; no confidence in subordinates; unwillingness to communicate; no incentives for suggestions.

How to improve communication:

• clarify the ideas before sending them;
• suit the message to the receiver's needs and level;
• consult others before communicating;
• mind the tone and language;
• make the message useful (add value) for the receiver;
• ask for feedback, by asking questions to check understanding;
• follow up communications;
• be a good listener.