Problems or Barriers in Effective Business Communication
Question No.4: What are the problems or barriers to effective business communication?
Answer:
Barriers in Effective Business Communication
Successful business communication takes place only when the sender of a message and its receiver clearly understand each other’s language. In this vast world, people differ in colour, creed, language and culture. These differences affect the process of communication. This difference in understanding causes miscommunication. The following are the main communication barriers.
1. Language: “The use of the right word is more important than the right argument.”
The right selection of words is part and parcel of effective business communication. Some words have a variety of meanings. This variety in the meanings of words can cause miscommunication. The receiver may fail to understand the meaning conveyed by the sender of the message.
2. Listening:
Listening has a great symbolic significance in making communication effective. Listening is an art and needs great concentration and attention because defective listening will definitely cause miscommunication.
3. Omission of Information:
The omission of information is a serious communication barrier. The receiver will not give a positive response if he does not get the necessary information. Therefore, special care should be taken to make the message complete in information.
4. Inferring:
Conclusions made by reasoning from the evidence are called inferences. We make assumptions and draw conclusions without seeing, perceiving and hearing. Some inferences are necessary and desirable, others are risky, even dangerous.
Necessary Inferences
When we reach a foreign country, we are sure that we will be treated politely.
When we post a letter, we infer that it will reach its destination. The conclusions which we expect can be against our wishes.
5. Abstraction: The act of abstraction consists in omitting some details and focusing on some details. These abstractions are the result of limitations of time, space and expenses. There are so many occasions where abstraction is necessary. However, we must be careful because sometimes we include our personal biased ideas in it. It should be avoided. This process is called “Slanting Statement.”
6. Closed Minds: There are some people who have rigid views on certain subjects. They think that their views are right. They are not ready to accept the views of others in different circumstances. It is very difficult to communicate with such people as are close-minded.
7. Noises: Noise refers to distraction and interference in the environment in which communication takes place. This affects the accuracy, clarity or even the arrival of the message.
8. Lack of Knowledge: Both the sender and the receiver may not be adept in communicating skills. That’s why, the message being sent or received is understood or not understood at all.
9. Lack of Interest: One of the most important communication barriers is the receiver’s lack of interest in our message. When want to convey our message to the receiver, we must be alert with the possibility that the receiver may show lack of interest. So, we should make every possible effort to make the receiver attentive otherwise, our message may cause misunderstanding.
10. Non-verbal Cues: A message suffers clarity because of non-verbal communication. It should also be avoided to avoid miscommunication.
11. Gender: There may be miscommunication if the sender and receiver belong to different sexes. A man is differently framed from a woman in their social setting. They may arrive at different results in the same situation.
12. Emotional State: Effective communication depends a lot on the emotional state of the sender and the receiver. If the sender is in an angry and crossed mood, he is sure to produce a negative influence on the mind of the receiver.