COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
1. SEMANTICS
Definition of words
Choice of words
COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
2. POOR CHOICE, USE OF CHANNELS When to use certain channel
Oral alone:• Simple reprimand• Settle simple dispute
Written alone:• Don’t need immediate feedback• Need record
COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
2. USE OF CHANNELSBoth channels:
• Commendation
• Serious reprimand
• Important policy change
Nonverbal• Be aware of it.
COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
3. PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONS
4. NOISE, PHYSICAL,
PSYCHOLOGICAL
5. STATUS DIFFERENCE
6. EFFECTS OF EMOTIONS
COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
7. PERCEPTIONSStereotypesHalo effectsSelective perception
• See and hear what we expect
• Ignore if conflicts with “what we know.”
Projection
COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
8. FILTERING, SCREENING
NEGATIVE INFORMTAION
9. EVALUATING THE SOURCE
10.ABSENCE OF FEEDBACK, POOR FEEDBACK
COMMON BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
11. INFORMATION, DATA
OVERLOAD
12. POOR LISTENINGLISTEN TO RESPONDLISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
TO OVERCOME BARRIERS:
Learn to use feedback well.Be sensitive to receiver’s point of view.Listen to UNDERSTAND!Use direct, simple language, or at least use
language appropriate to the receiver.Use proper channel(s). Learn to use channels
well.Learn to use supportive communication, not
defensive communication.
LISTENING WITH...
“EXPERIENCE”“WHAT WE KNOW”BIASESSTEREOTYPESPERCEPTIONSEMOTIONS
LISTENING
LISTEN TO RESPOND
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
1. RESTATE/REPEAT
2. PARAPHRASE
3. REFLECT FEELING
4. PARAPHRASE CONTENT AND REFLECT FEELING
5. SAY NOTHING
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
Before I can walk in another person’s shoes, I must remove my own.
Unknown
LISTEN TO UNDERSTANDASSUMES WIN-WIN
1. ASK PERMISSION
2. ESTIMTE TIME LIMIT
3. STATE BOUNDARIESSTATE WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
4. USE RESPECT, GENTLENESS
5. USE COURAGE
LISTEN TO UNDERSTANDASSUMES WIN-WIN
RESPECT
COURAGE
LOW
HIGH
LOW HIGH
X
LISTEN TO UNDERSTANDASSUMES WIN-WIN
BE DIRECTBE CLEARBE SPECIFICBE HONESTBE RESPECTFULBE TACTFULTAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR YOURSELF
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
WHEN YOU ………………….. (State observed action.)
I FEEL …………………………(State feeling.)
BECAUSE I THINK …………..(Thought that causes the feeling.)
AND I WOULD LIKE ………..(Request for positive action.)
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
When you meet me an hour after you said you would
I feel angry and hurt
Because I think you don’t care much about my job demands
And I would like you to call when you are going to be late.
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND
YOU’RE AN HOUR LATE!
YOU MAKE ME ANGRY!
YOU’RE ALWAYS LATE!
YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT MY TIME/FEELINGS!
YOU MAKE ME SICK!
NOT LISTENING?
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL RESPONSES:
PROBE
GIVE ADVICE
EVALUATE
INTERPRET
UNDERSTANDING? I KNOW WHAT YOU MEANKNOW WHAT I MEAN?I HEAR YOUI’VE BEEN THERE!YOU UNDERSTAND ME?YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.
“FIXING” = LISTENING?
“DON’T FEEL BAD.”
“DON’T CRY.”
“DON’T BE UPSET.”
“YOU SAY THAT BUT YOU ALWAYS DO WELL.”
Ten Rules for Good Listening
Rule Listening Reasoning Behind the Rule
1. Stop talking You cannot listen if you are talking.
2. Put the person at ease Help a person feel free to talk; create a permissive environment.
3. Show the person you Look and act interested; listen to want to listen understand, not to oppose.
4.Remove distractions Don’t doodle, tap, or shuffle papers; shut the door if necessary to achieve quiet.
Ten Rules for Good Listening
Rule Listening Reasoning Behind the Rule
5. Empathize Try to see the other person’s point of view.
6. Be patient Allow plenty of time; do not interrupt; don’t start for thedoor or walk away.
7. Hold your temper An angry person takes the wrong meaning from words.
Ten Rules for Good Listening
Rule Listening Reasoning Behind the Rule
8.Go easy on argument Don’t put people on the defensive and criticism and cause them to “clam up” or
become angry; do not argue- even if you win, you lose.
9. Ask questions This encourages a person and shows that you are listening; it helps to develop points further.
10. Stop talking This is first and last, because all other guides depend on it; you cannot listen effectively while you are talking.
Source: Adapted from Human Behavior at Work, Fifth Edition, by Keith Davis. 1977.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION
1.Channels Congruent. Incongruent. “Oh, do I Verbal and non-verbal seem upset? No, everythingchannels must agree. is fine” - while obviously
upset.
2.Descriptive. “This is what Evaluative. “You are happened and this is how I wrong for doing what you felt about it. I’d like to suggest did.”an alternative that would be more acceptable.
3.Problem oriented. “How Person oriented. “Whycan we solve this problem?” are you so slow?”
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION
4.Specific. “I felt like I did not Global. “You are alwaysget equal time to cover my seeking all the recognitionmaterial in that presentation.” for our work.”
5.Owned. “I have decided Not owned. “You have ato turn down your request pretty good idea, but youbecause…” know how it is in this
organization -- everyonecan’t get everything theywant.”
6.Validating. “That is an Not validating. “I can’t interesting suggestion.” believe you could think such
a thing.”
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION
7.Equality oriented. “I have Superiority oriented. some ideas, but do you have “Your suggestion is dumb. any suggestions?” This is the way to handle this
problem.”
8.Flexible. “I have some Closed-minded. “What-questions, but let’s explore ever made you think thatit further.” would work?”
9.Appropriately intimate. Overbearing or aloof.“Since we have known each “I know we just met, but Iother a long time, I’d like really need to tell youto tell you how I feel about something personal.”our relationship.”
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
STRUCTURE SHOULD FACILITATE, NOT HINDER
MANAGE INFORMATION FLOWCLIMATE INFLUENCESINTERGROUP INTERACTIONS,
BARRIERS?USE GRAPEVINE
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
. . .
. . . ... .
Y WHEEL, STAR
CENTRALIZED
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
. .
. . . .
. . . .
CIRCLE ALL CHANNEL
DECENTRALIZED
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
SIMPLE TASKS
COMPLEXTASKS
SLOWLESS ACCURATE
FASTERMORE ACCURATE
CIRCLEALL CHANNEL
YWHEELSTAR
YWHEELSTAR
CIRCLEALL CHANNEL