Chapter two

The communication process

Introduction
The general contribution of this chapter is to induct students with the process of communication and
the various elements of communication. The different barriers of communication that hinder
both the day to day personal and organizational activities will be clearly discussed under this chapter.
Additionally, oral and written communication with their respective merits and demerits are also
covered in this chapter. Various channels of nonverbal communication are additional agenda of the
chapter.
Communication is a process that involves steps or sequences of activities to be followed in the
exchange of messages between senders and receivers. The diagram on next page shows all the major
elements of the communication process.
Elements of the Communication Process
People (Senders - Receivers)
Communicators or elements are the primary elements in the communication process in an
organization. They can be managers, non-managers, departments, or the organization itself. Managers
communicate with other managers, subordinates, supervisors, client’s customers, and
parties outside the organization. When we say communication involves people, it involves the
exchange of interpersonal characteristics such as perceptions, their speaking and listening skills,
their nonverbal behaviors, etc. Communication is thus an interpersonal process. People or senders
receivers make communication two ways.
Sender: the person who transmits, spreads, or communicates a massage or operates an electronic
device is the one who conceives and initiates the message with the purpose of informing,
persuading, influencing, and changing the attitude, opinion, or behaviour of the receiver (audience
listener). He /she decide the communication symbols, the channel, and the time for sending the
message after carefully considering the total situation in which communication takes place.
Receiver: is the targeted audience of the message. A receiver is any person who notices and
attachés some meaning to a message. In the best of circumstances, a message reaches its intended
receiver with no problems. In the confusing and imperfect world of business, however, several
problems can occur. The message may never get to the receiver. It might be delivered but lie
buried under a mountain of papers on the recipients desk. Even worse, a message intended for one
receiver might be intercepted by another one.

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Communications within the organization are important means for coordinating the work of separate
departments. And more and more organizations communicate with employees, unions, the public, and
government. Each of these communicators has a message, an idea, or information
to transmit to someone or some group.
Encoding
Within the communicator, an encoding process must take place that translates the communicator’s
ideas into a systematic set of symbols expressing the communicator’s purpose. The major form of
encoding is language.

Encoding is changing the raw idea from its mental form into symbols, that is, patterns of words,
gestures, pictorial forms or signs (physical or sounds) of a specific visual /oral language. The
sender must choose certain words or non verbal methods to send an intentional message. This
activity is called encoding. The words and channels that a communicator chooses to deliver a
message can make a tremendous difference in how that message is received. Consider the simple
act of a manager’s offering feedback to an employee whether the words are respectful or abrupt
and whether the message is delivered in person or in a memo can make a big difference in how the
feedback is received.

For example, accounting information, sales reports, and computer data are translated into a message.
The function of encoding is to provide a form in which ideas and purposes can be expressed as a
message.
Message
The result of the encoding is the message-either verbal or nonverbal. Message is a meaningful
idea that people want to share with others. It is the information, written, spoke or nonverbal, which
is to be sent from one person to another. The most important characteristic of a message as an
element of communication is that it is organized, structured, shaped, and selective – a product &
pre- writing or pre – speaking stage. It exists in the mind of the sender (communicator)

It is an encoded idea with some purpose. Managers have numerous purposes for communicating, such
as to have others understand their ideas, to understand the ideas of others to gain acceptance of ideas,
and to produce action.The message, then, is what the individual hopes to communicate, and the exact
form that the
message takes depends to a great extent on the medium used to carry it. Decisions relating to the
two are inseparable. An ideal message is that is understood by the receiver as intended by the

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sender.
Channel
The channel is a path, route or medium through which a message is transmitted. Organizations
provide information for their members by a variety of channels, including face-to-face
communication, telephone, group meetings, computers, memos, policy statements, reward systems,
production schedules, sales forecasts, and videotapes.
Less obvious, however, are unintended messages that can be sent by silence or inaction of a particular
issue, as well as decisions about which goals and objectives are not to be pursued and which methods
are not to be utilized. The choice between oral and written communication channels
may be determined by:
Background of the audience such as education, sex, age, experience, etc.
Availability and cost of the channel
Nature of the message such as confidentiality, length, etc.
Nonverbal communication, communication that doesn’t use words, is a part of everyday life. A
friendly smile, a worried expression, the seating arrangements at a committee meeting, the size and
location of an office, the reception area, furniture all are nonverbal communicators. They indicate a
person’s power, status, position or friendliness. The interpretation of nonverbal cues is important
however; nonverbal cues are as easily misinterpreted as verb al messages (words).
Body language is fascinating nonverbal communication open body positions include leaning forward
with uncrossed arms and legs. Closed, or defensive, body positions include leaning back
with arms and legs crossed. Open positions are assumed to suggest acceptance and openness to what is
being discussed. Closed positions suggest that people are physically or psychologically
uncomfortable.
Decoding
For the process of communication to be completed, the message must be decoded by the receiver.
Decoding is the technical term for the thought processes of the receiver. This is the act of
translating symbols of communication into their ordinary meanings; however, the total meaning
would consist of meanings of the words ( symbols) together with the tone and the attitude of the
sender as treated by the structure of the message and the choice of words used by him (the sender).
Thus, it involves interpretation. Receivers interpret (decode) the message in light of their own
previous experiences

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and frames of reference. The closer the decoded message is to the intent of the communication, the
more effective is the communication. In a business organization, if the message that the chief
executive receives from the marketing research department includes technical terms known only to
marketing researchers, no communication exists. In fact, an often cited complaint in organizations
that employ staff specialists is that they frequently cannot communicate. Each staff group (e.g
accountants, personnel, and marketing research) has a unique language and symbols that persons
outside the group cannot decode.
Feedback
One-way communication processes do not allow receiver-to-communicator feedback. Two-way
communication processes provide for such feedback. It is desirable to make provision for feedback
in the communication process. It decreases the potential for distortion between the intended message
and the received message. A feedback loop provides a channel for receiver response, enabling the
communicator to determine whether the message has been received and has produced
the intended response. For the manager, communication feedback may come in many ways.
In face-to-face situations direct feedback is possible through verbal exchanges as well as through
such subtle, means as facial expressions that indicate discontent or misunderstanding. In addition,
communication break downs may be indicated by indirect means, such as declines in productivity,
poor quality of production increased absenteeism or turnover, and conflict or a lack of coordination
between units.
Effective Use of Feedback
For effective use of feedback the following guidelines are vital.
Guidelines in receiving feedback
1. Tell people you want feedback. When people feel that their opinions and observations may be
used against them or that your feelings may be easily hurt, they withhold feedback. Therefore, let
them know that you consider feedback (including personal opinions, questions, and disagreement) not
only useful but also necessary.
2. Identify the areas in which you want feedback. If you want personal feedback, you might say, “I
am trying to improve my speaking and am interested in how many times I said ‘okay’ in today’s
meeting.” If you want only feedback pertaining to the organization, then specify the topics in which
you are most interested.
3. If you are a manager, set aside time for regularly scheduled feedback sessions. Such sessions
show employees that you value feedback and tend to make it easier for them to ask questions and
express opinions.

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4. Use silence to encourage feedback. Too many people ask a question wait two or three seconds,
and then begin talking again. It takes more than two or three seconds for most people to organize and
verbalize their responses. If you remain silent for at least a full ten seconds, you will probably get
more response.
5. Watch for nonverbal responses- because none verbal symbols may comply or contradict with
nonverbal symbols.
6. Ask questions. Do not assume that you understand the meaning of the feedback you receive from
others. When in doubt, ask for clarification.
7. Use statements that encourage feedback. People usually adjust their feedback by monitoring the
listener’s verbal and nonverbal reactions. If you want a person’s honest opinion, you must encourage
it by purposely saying such things as “Really?” “Interesting.” “So, you feel that . . . “
8. Reward feedback. If you are a manager, you can reward feedback by complimenting the person,
preferably in front of his or her colleagues. Some companies have a “Best-Idea-of-the month” contest
and put the winners’ names on a placard or give them a company pen with their names engraved on
them. As an employee, you can sincerely thank people for their comments and perhaps write them a
thank-you note.
Guidelines in sending feedback
In sending feedback make sure your own feedback to others:
Is directed toward behavior rather than toward the person- Often, someone who is angry criticizes
the person rather than the behavior that caused the anger. Telling a secretary “You are a
poor excuse for a secretary” is an attack on the secretary rather than on the offensive behavior and
Causes a defensive, emotional response. Your feedback is much more likely to be received positively
if you mention the action or behavior that is unacceptable and focus on what can be done to avoid it
in the future.
Is descriptive instead of evaluative. Descriptive feedback is tactfully honest and objective, whereas
evaluative feedback is judgmental and accusatory. Evaluative feedback: “Where is your sales report?
You know it is due on my desk no later than 9:00 each morning. You’re obviously
not reliable anymore.” Descriptive feedback: “When you don’t turn your sales reports in on time,
I’m unable to complete the departmental sales report on time. This makes me look bad and the
departments look bad. You’ve been late twice this month. Is there something I can do to help you get
those reports in on time?” Evaluative, judgmental words cause defensiveness and hurt feelings; words
that simply describe the situation in a nonjudgmental way are more likely to result in cooperation.

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Involves sharing ideas instead of giving advice- It is not always sensible to give advice to other
people. If your advice does not work, you will be blamed. One of the best ways to improve a
relationship is by openly sharing opinions and ideas. Suppose a manager who is having trouble with
some employees comes to you and asks, “What am I doing wrong?” Instead of giving advice, share a
personal experience with the manager. For example, you might describe a similar problem
you had and how you handled it. It is then up to the manager to decide what to do.
Includes only as much information as the person can handle at one time. Suppose during a
performance appraisal you give an employee a list of twenty items that need improvement. Is this
type of feedback beneficial? You may feel better now that you have “dumped” your feelings, but how
can anyone improve on twenty things at the same time? When giving feedback, include only
two or three suggestions at a time-a number the person can reasonably handle.
Is immediate and well time immediate feedback is obviously more valuable than delayed feedback.
After a foul-up shipping, instead of waiting for two weeks to discuss the problem with
the responsible employee, discuss the error immediately or at least within a day or two. Immediate
feedback allows the person to correct actions or behaviors while they are still fresh in mind. But
feedback should also be well timed, and sometimes this means that it can’t be immediate. If you
point out an employee’s mistakes in front of a group of co-workers, such feedback is likely to be
resented. And if you confront an employee anxious to get home after quitting time, you suggestions
may be received absent mindedly. This type of feedback should be given in a private, relaxed
atmosphere. Unfortunately, many people tend to give feedback in anger and don’t stop to
consider the consequences.
Noise
In the framework of communications noise is any interfering factor that, if present, can distort the
intended message. Noise can be present in any element. I.e. the sender, channel or receiver. Noises
are of two types: Psychological noise and Physical noise. Physical noise is unwanted sound created in
the external environment or in transmission. On the other hand psychological noise is created in the
mind of senders-receivers. It generally refers to absentmindedness that may be caused by pain,
hunger, headache, and other factors that preoccupy human mind.

2.2. THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication involves participants (a sender & a receiver), message to be sent a medium to carry
the communication signals & the environments in which the message is sent & received. These

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elements act & interact in the five-step process. Whether you are speaking or writing, listening or
reading, communication is more than a single act. Instead, it is a chain of events that can be broken
in to five phases as:
 The sender has an idea.
 The idea becomes a message.
 The message is transmitted.
 The receiver gets the message.
 The receiver reacts & sends feedback to the sender.

A) The Sender Has an Idea

The sender is the individual who initiates the communication. This person is sometimes known as
the ‘encoder’, two things must happen before the sender wants to send a message: First, an internal
or external stimulus prompts you to send a message. This prompt may arrive in the form of letters,
memorandum, pencilled note, electronic mail, fax, telex, or even casual conversation in the
hallway, Regardless of the stimulus source; it could be a business transaction, a written question, a
meeting, an interview, or unexpected request for a favour. Whatever the case might be, you will
start thinking of ideas for the message.

It is important to remember, however, that a stimulus alone may not be enough to trigger
communication. The second requirement to send message is sufficient motivation. Think of times
when a manager asks a question, and some of the people present were fairly sure they knew the
answer (were stimulated), but did not respond. Why didn’t they respond? Probably because they
were not sufficiently motivated; i.e. they saw no personal benefit in answering. Or they saw
greater benefit in not answering.

B) The Idea Becomes a Message

After being stimulated & motivated to communicate, the sender must decide how best to convey a
message to the specific receiver. The message is the information or core idea being transmitted.
The process of putting a message into the form in which it is to be communicated is called
‘encoding.’ It consists of both verbal (written or spoken) symbols & nonverbal (unspoken)
symbols. Verbal information is the part of the message that is heard. Nonverbal information entails
such things as body language & the surrounding environment. Whenever you compose a message,
you need to consider what content to include, how the receiver will interpret it, & how it may

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affect your relationship. A simple ‘thank you’ message will be relatively easy. In contrast, to
inform 200 employees of bad news about salaries will require much more complicated, carefully
planned message. To some extent, your choice of words also depends on your cultural
background. When you choose your words, you signal that you are a member of a particular club
and that you know the code. The nature of your code-your language and vocabulary-imposes its
own limits on your message. For example, the language of a lawyer differs from that of an
accountant or a doctor, and the difference in their vocabularies affects their ability to recognize
and express ideas.

Several things can go wrong when you’re formulating a message. Typical problems involve
indecision about message content, lock of familiarity with the situation or the receiver, emotional
conflicts, or difficulty in expressing ideas.

Indecision about content

Deciding what to say is the first difficulty in the communication process. Many people make the
mistake of trying to convey everything they know about a subject. When a message contains too
much information, it is difficult to absorb. If you want to get your point across, therefore, you have
to decide what to include and what to leave out, how much detail to provide, and what order to
include and what to leave out, how much detail to provide, and what order adequate background,
you will create confusion. And if you recommend actions without first explaining why they are
justified, your message may provoke an emotional response that inhibits understanding. Include
only the information that is useful to the receiver, & organize it in a way that encourages its
acceptance.

Lack of familiarity with the situation or the receiver

Can you deliver your message equally well when you are not very familiar with the subject you are
talking about: or when you do not know the receiver very well? Creating an effective message is
difficult if you don’t know how it will be used. Let’s say you’re writing a report on the market for
sports equipment. If you don’t know the purpose of the report, it’s hard to know what to say. Some
of the things you should be clear about before writing the report are:
 What sort of sports equipment should you cover?
 Should you include team sports as we I as individual sports?
 Should you subdivide the market geographically or according to price ranges?

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 How long should the report be?

Unless you know why the report is needed, you really can’t answer these questions intelligently.
You are forced to create a very general document one that covers a little bit of everything.
Lack of familiarity with your audience is an equally serious handicap you need to know something
about the biases, education, age, status, and style of the receiver in order to create an effective
message. If you’re writing for a specialist in your field, for example, you can use technical terms
that might be unfamiliar to a layperson. If you’re addressing a lower-level employee, you might
approach a subject differently than if you were talking to your boss. Decisions about the content,
organization, style, and tone of your message all depend, at least to some extent, on the
relationship between you and the audience. If you don’t know the audience, you will be forced to
make these decisions in the dark. As a result, at least part of your message may miss the point.
Hence, ask why you are preparing the message & for whom you are preparing it.
Emotional conflicts
Another potential problem in developing the message arises when the sender has conflicting
emotions about the subject or the audience. Let’s say you’ve been asked to recommend ways to
improve the organization of your department. You conclude that the best approach is to combine
two positions. But this solution will mean eliminating the job of one of your close associates. As
you prepare your report, you find yourself apologizing for your recommendation. Even though you
believe your position is justified, you cannot make a convincing case. Thus, in business
communications try to maintain your objectivity.

Difficulty of expressing ideas

Most of us might think that to write and to speak are not so difficult. We only learn that they do not
come easy when we have to make public speeches or when we area required to write an influential
letter on a particular matter. Lack of experience in writing or speaking can also prevent a person
from developing effective messages. Some people have limited education or a lack of aptitude
when it comes to expressing ideas. Perhaps they have a limited vocabulary or are uncertain about
questions of grammar, punctuation, and style. Or perhaps they are simply frightened by the idea of
writing something or appearing before they lack expertise in using language.

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Problems of this sort can be overcome, but only with some effort. The important thing is to
recognize the problem & take action. An inability to put thoughts into words can be overcome
through study & practice.

C) The Message is Transmitted

The third step in the communication process is physical transmission of the message from sender to
receiver. How will you send your message? Should one write or speak? What is the appropriate
channel for any given message? The channel is the means used to convey the message. The forms
of communication may be verbal, or nonverbal. Beyond that, you can convey a message by phone,
computer, face-to-face exchange, or other medium.

D) The Receiver Gets the Message

The receiver is the individual to whom the message is directed, also knows as ‘decoder’. When the
encoder’s message is picked up, the receiver tries to make sense out of it; i.e. to decode it.
Decoding is the process the receiver goes through in trying to interpret the exact meaning of a
message. Everyone tries to read between the lines in an effort to interpret what the sender means
by the message. If you send a letter, the recipient has to read it before she/he can understand it. If
you’re giving a speech, the people in the audience have to be able to hear you, and they have to be
paying attention.
But physical reception is only the first step. The receiver also has to absorb the message mentally.
In other words, the message has to be understood and stored in the receiver’s mind. If all goes
well, the message is interpreted correctly. The receiver assigns the same basic meaning to the
words as the sender intended and responds in the desired way.
Like transmission problems, problems during the reception phase often have a physical cause.
Competing sights and sounds, an uncomfortable chair, poor lighting or some other irritating
condition may distract the receiver. In some impairment, for example, or even a headache, can
interfere with reception of a message. These annoyances don’t generally block communication
entirely, but they may reduce the receiver’s concentration.

Perhaps the most common barrier to reception is simply lack of attention on the receiver’s part. We
all let our minds wander now and then, regardless of how hard we try to concentrate. People are
especially likely to drift off when they are forced to listen to information that is difficult to
understand or that has little direct bearing on their own lives. If they are tired or concerned about

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other matters, they are even more likely to lose interest. Is the communication process complete
once the receiver has the message?

E) The Receiver Reacts & Gives Feedback to the Sender

Feedback is the receiver’s response to a message. It is the final link in the communication chain.
However, the feedback response involves a reversal of the communication process so that the
receiver now becomes the sender & the sender becomes the receiver. After getting the message,
the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The signal may take the
form of a smile, a long pause, a spoken comment, a written message, or an action. Even a lack of
response is, in a sense, a form of response.

Feedback is a key element in the communication process because it enables the sender to evaluate
the effectiveness of the message. It provides guidance for the next message that you send to the
receiver. If your audience doesn’t understand what you mean, you can tell by the response and
refine the message. Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant communication
barriers: differences in background, different interpretations of words, and differing emotional
reactions. So when the receiver of the message has made feedback and the sender is sure that the
message has been communicated in the way intended, we say communication has existed.

Therefore, from the above phases, you can think of communication as a process consisting of
identifiable links, with ultimate objective of influencing behaviour, attitudes, & beliefs. Each element
of the communication process is critical: the sender, encoding, channel, the receiver, decoding, &
feedback.

2.3. Barriers to Communication

Any factor that impedes the exchange of information between a sender and a receiver is a barrier to
communication. It is not possible that every time an order, instruction, guideline, direction program,
information, etc. transmitted by the superior is properly understood and assimilated by those for
whom it is intended. Similarly suggestions, reports, advices recommendations, complaints etc.
transmitted by the subordinates to their superiors may be misunderstood or misinterpreted. In any
case, the purpose of the communication is defeated.
The process of communication is not always smooth. Many obstacles or hindrances obstruct it.

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These are referred to as barriers to communication. It refers to these factors which cause disturbance
either in the mind of the communicator (sender) or the communicate (receiver) or in
the process which will create distortion of the message leading to lack of response ignoring or
misunderstanding. Such barriers are extremely common in everyday life, and they appear in an almost
unlimited variety of forms. The following are some of the most common barriers to effective
communication.
1. Differing perceptions
Perception is the process by an individual receives information from the environment through the
use of his sense organs and interprets them. One of the most common sources of communication
barriers is individual variation. People who have different backgrounds of knowledge, experience,
and other demographic characteristics often perceive the same phenomenon from different
perspectives. Suppose that a new supervisor compliments an assembly line worker for his or her
efficiency and high- quality work. The supervisor genuinely appreciates the worker’s efforts and at
the same time wants to encourage the other employees to emulate his or her example. Others on the
assembly line however, may regard the worker’s being singled out for praise as a sign that he or she
has been ‘buttering up to boss” they may react by teasing or being openly hostile. The event is the
same but individual’s perspectives on it differ radically. The environment in which it occurs
influences the way a communication is perceived. Events that are considered appropriate in some
circumstances are inappropriate in others.
2. Language Differences & poor Expressions
Language differences are often closely related to differences in individual perceptions. For a message
to be properly communicated, the words used must mean the same thing to the sender and the
receiver. The same symbolic meaning must be shared. Suppose that different departments of a
company receive a memo stating that a new product is to be developed in “a short time”. To People in
research and development “a short time” might mean two or three years. To people in the finance
department on the other hand, it might be three to six months, whereas the sales department might
think of it as a few weeks. Since many different meanings can be assigned to some words, great care
must be taken to ensure that the receiver gets the message that the sender intended. Further barriers to
communication may result from the use of poorly chosen words, omissions, lack of coherence, poor
organization of ideas, unnecessary jargon and so on. Communication in the international environment
becomes even more difficult because of different languages, cultures. Etc.
3. Loss by Transmission and poor Retention

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In a series of transmissions from one person to the next, the message becomes less and less accurate
when a communication is being conveyed from the higher management level to the lower level step
by step. Much of it is likely to be lost in transit. Most of the time, this problem arises in oral
communication. At every successive step some of the message will drop until it reaches the last
person when it will be only a part of the original message, which might be meaningless. This problem
may arise in case of written communication as well. At every level the superior will interpret the
message in his own way and present it accordingly. Hence the original message is likely to be
destroyed. Further the meaning will change if some words are dropped, changed or misspelt. On the
other hand managers may be main causes for loss of information in organizational Communication.
Consciously or unconsciously, information may be lost or distorted in downward and upward
communications.
Loss of information in upward communication in upward communication may be lost or distorted
because of mobility aspiration. Mobility aspiration is the desire of subordinates for upward movement
or promotion. It is likely that subordinates manipulate upward messages in a way it facilitates their
future promotion. Thus mobility aspiration adversely affects the accuracy of upward messages.
Loss of information in downward communication
Generally replicating a message is difficult; there are neither perfect senders nor receivers. In addition
to this middle level managers may intentionally withhold information for several reasons.
a) Tyrannical managers – are those who do not have confidence in their subordinates. Because
responsibility is ultimate such managers may withhold key information in their drawers in order to
make their subordinates completely dependent in making decisions or taking actions. This is designed
to prevent subordinates from making important decisions.
b) Insecure managers – are managers who do not have self-confidence. Such managers try to hide
some key information from their subordinates to prevent their subordinates from making decisions
that affect the superior’s position. Less confident managers may fear that if they release all
information the subordinates may make more sound decisions and thereby threat the superior’s
position. Some superiors may also withhold information from lack of awareness about the relevance
of the information to their subordinates.
C) Poor retention of information is another serious problem. Most of the times there are problems in
handling and retrieving information, particularly when records management is manual. Poor records
and filing system are often major causes for loss of information in organizational communication.
This makes the necessity for repetition of the message and the use of several channels rather obvious.
Consequently, companies often use more than one channel to communicate the same message.

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4. Poor Listening and Pre-mature Evaluation
There are many talkers but few listeners. Listening demands full attention and self-discipline. It also
means avoiding pre-mature evaluation of what the other person has to say. A common tendency is to
judge to approve or disapprove what is being said rather than trying to understand the speaker’s frame
of reference. Yet listening without making hasty judgments can make the whole organization more
effective and more efficient. Sympathetic listening can result in better Labor- management relations
and greater understanding among managers. In short, listening with empathy can reduce some of the
daily frustrations in organized life and result in better communication.
5. Emotionality
Emotional reactions- anger, love, defensiveness, hate, jealousy, fear, embarrassment-influence how we
understand other’s messages and how we influence others with our own messages. If for example, we
are in an atmosphere where we feel threatened with loss of power or prestige we may lose the ability
to gauge the meanings of the messages we receive and will respond defensively or aggressively.
6. Inconsistent verbal and Nonverbal Communication
We think of language as the primary medium of communication, but the messages we send and
receive are strongly influenced by such nonverbal factors as body movements, clothing, our posture,
gestures, facial expression, eye movements, and body contact. Even when our message is as simple as
“Good morning”, we can covey different intents by our nonverbal communication. A busy manager
who does not want to be disturbed might respond to a subordinate’s greeting without looking up from
his or her work for example.
7. Noise, Distance and Time
Physical barriers: these include noise, and time & distance.
a. Noise: Anything that interferes with communication & distorts or blocks the message is noise.
Noise is quite often a barrier to communication. In factories oral communication could be difficult
by the loud noise of machines. Electronic noise like ear-splitting often interferes in communication
by telephone. The word “noise” is also used to refer to all kinds of physical interference like
illegible handwriting, smudged copies of duplicated typescript, poor telephone connections, use of
jargons (terms that have a precise meaning among specialists, but are unfamiliar to others),
distraction that prevents the receiver from paying attention, a worn printer ribbon that makes a
document hard to read, etc.

b. Time & Distance: Time and distance also act as barriers of communication. Modern
communication facilities like fax, telephone and internet are not available everywhere. This is

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especially so in most companies of our country. Even when these technologies are available,
sometimes mechanical breakdowns render these facilities ineffective. In such cases the distance
between the transmitter and the receiver becomes a barrier. There is a kind of communication gap
between persons working in different shifts of a factory. Can you imagine how difficult it would
be to send an urgent message to a business partner living in England if it had to be done through
postal mail?
8. The Medium and Method of Communication
A disregard of the medium of communication and the method used often create conditions that lead to
a lack of expected response or to a less than perfect understanding. In all cases the medium of the
communication and the method must be appropriate to the case in hand. Generally speaking great
care is required in this direction. Most people are very sensitive about how certain subjects are
approached and to ignore their sensitivity will often result in faulty communication. Matters of
routine nature such as the opening and closing times of the canteen may well be appropriately
conveyed by a notice on a notice board. At other times a discrete personal word is called for instance
where a staff member has started habitually to arrive late in the morning. A bold statement on a notice
board about lateness would be most inappropriate.
A more complicated situation, such as an alteration in working conditions requires even more care in
the choice of medium and method. Personal consultations with representatives of those affected are
imperative to prevent misunderstanding and to gain the cooperation of those concerned. In brief for
effective communication, the medium and method used to carry the communication must be
appropriate to the circumstances.
9. Distrust/Lack of Credibility of the Source
Credibility refers to the confidence, faith or thrust that the receiver has on the actions and/or words of
the sender. The credibility of a message is to a large extent, a function of the credibility of the sender
in the mind of the receiver. A sender’s credibility is, in turn determined by a variety of factors. In
some cases, the fact that a message comes from a manager will enhance its credibility, but it can also
have the opposite effect. In negotiations between labor and management, for example, labor often
regards the claims of managers with some suspicion. In this situation, as in others, the perceived
character or honesty of the sender is important. Distrust can be the result of inconsistent behaviors by
the superior, or it can be due to experiences in which the subordinate was punished for honestly
reporting unfavorable, but true, information to the boss. In any case, the loss of confidence in the
superior will drop the effect of the communication. What is needed is a climate of trust, which
facilitates open and honest communication.

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9. Semantics: refer to the different uses & meanings of words and symbols. Words and symbols
may not have similar uses and meanings for different individuals from different cultural group,
language and living style so it may create some barrier in the communication process. Semantic
barriers include:

a) Interpretations of words: Do you remember a situation where you and your friend
understood a word communicated by somebody else in a different way. The knowledge each have
about a subject or word affects the meaning we attach to it. Individuals have their own network of
words & meanings available for recall that overlap, but do not correspond exactly, with those of
other individuals using their own networks can attach different meanings to words. Receivers
decode words & phrases in conformity with their own network, while may be very different from
those of senders. Words are capable communicating a variety of meanings. It is quite possible that
the receiver do not assign the same meaning to a word as the sender has intended, that may lead
to miscommunication. For some, a successful career means having prestigious job title & making
lot of money; for others, it may mean having a job they really enjoy & plenty of personal time to
spend with family & friends. Different word interpretations especially, noticeable in, “bypassed”
instructions & in reactions to denotations, connotations and euphemisms.
b) Bypassed instructions: when the message sender & receiver attribute different meanings to
the same words or use different words though intending the same meaning, bypassing often
occurs. Example: An office manager handed to a new assistant a letter, with the instruction “Take
it to our store room and burn it” In the office manager’s mind (and in the firm’s jargon) the word
“burn” meant to make a copy on a photocopier. As the letter was extremely important, she wanted
an extra copy. However, the confused employee afraid to ask questions burned the letter and thus
destroyed the original existing copy! To avoid communication errors of bypassing, when you give
instructions or discuss issues, be sure your words & sentences will convey the intended meaning to
the recipient. Also, when you are the recipient of unclear instruction, before acting on it, ask
questions to determine the sender intended meaning.
10. Attitudes & Opinions: communication effectiveness is influenced also by the attitudes &
opinions the communicators have in their mental filters. People tend to react favourably when the
message they receive agrees with their views towards the information, the set of facts, & the sender.
In addition, sometimes unrelated circumstances affect their attitudes, & responses like:

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11. Emotional state: a person’s ability to encode a message can become impaired when a person is
feeling strong emotions. For example, when you are angry, it is harder to consider the other person’s
viewpoint & to choose words carefully. Likewise, the receiver will have difficulty-decoding message
when her/his emotions are strong. For instance, a person who is elated at receiving good news might
not pay close attention to some one else’s words or body language. Someone who is angry might pay
attention but misinterpret a message in light of her/his anger.

12. Favorable or Unfavorable information: rejecting, distorting, & avoiding are three common
undesirable, negative ways receivers react to information they consider unfavorable. For example, if a
change in the policy of an organization proves advantageous to employees, they welcome it as good;
if it is contrary to their beliefs or benefits, they may reject, or resent the company and their boss,
perhaps falsely accusing them of being unfair. Or they may instead, distort, the meaning and
misinterpret the true purpose of the policy change. Or they may avoid the message, situation or
people by putting of acceptance hoping that the delay will somehow prevent the change & protect
them.
13. Closed mind: some people have a closed mind toward receiving new information. The closed-
minded person is one of the most difficult to communicate with. Typically this person has only
inadequate and mainly incorrect knowledge of the subject. Yet she/he refuses to consider any new
facts. Even from an expert who has made a long, careful study of the problem and the proposed
change. The closed minded person says in essence: “my mind is made up” “Don’t bother me with
facts” “I want what I want”. Closed – minded people stubbornly reject distort or avoid a viewpoint
before they know the facts.

14. Status consciousness: people in the upper areas of organization’s hierarchy, those who have more
status & power, may be hesitant to listen to those individuals lower in the hierarchy, feeling for
example, that people of lower status & power do not possess any useful information. By the same
token, people of lower status & power may be reluctant to share information because they believe that
people with higher status & power will not listen. Subordinates are afraid of communicating any
unpleasant information to their managers. They may be afraid that they might displease their
superiors by telling them unpleasant facts. Or they may fear that unfavorable communication may
adversely reflect upon their own competence. The subordinates also find it difficult to offer proposals
for the improvement of the organization, for such proposals are not usually encouraged.

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2.4. GUIDELINES TO OVERCOME COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

Now having the knowledge of the barriers to effective communication, can you think of alternative
ways of avoiding them? The following are ways which are suggested so as to make your
communication in the work place as smooth and effective as possible.
There are six factors or themes that contribute to effective communication.
1. Fostering an open communication climate.
2. Committing to ethical communication
3. Understanding the difficulties involved in intercultural communication.
4. Adopting an audience-centered approach to communication.
5. Using technology wisely and responsibly to obtain and share information.
6. Creating and processing messages effectively and efficiently.
Now let us discuss them one by one.
1. Fostering an open communication climate.
An organization’s communication climate is a reflection of its corporate culture: the mixture of
values, traditions and habits. It affects the quantity and quality of the information that passes
through the pipeline. The following are the measures that can be taken to create an open
communication climate:
a) Modify the number of organizational levels.
One way to foster an open communication climate is to reduce the number of levels in the
organizations structure. The fewer the links in the communication chain, the less likely the
misunderstandings will occur. In other words, a flat structure (having fewer levels) and a wide
span of control are likely to reduce distortion than a tall structure and a narrow span of control.
b) Facilitate feedback
Giving the audience a chance to provide feedback is crucial to maintaining an open communication
climate.
2. Committing to ethical communication
Ethics are the principles of conduct that govern a person or a group. Ethical people are generally
trustworthy, fair and impartial, respecting the rights of others, and concerned about the impact of
their actions on society. Ethics plays a crucial role in communication. Ethical communication
includes all relevant information, is true in every sense and is not deceptive in any way. In order to
maintain ethical communication follow the guidelines below:

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a) Recognize ethical choices.
Every company has responsibilities to various groups- customers, shareholders, suppliers,
neighbours, the community and the nation. What’s right for one group may be wrong for another.
Moreover as we attempt to satisfy the needs of one group, we may be presented with an option that
seems right on the surface but some how feels wrong.

b) Make ethical choices.

Laws provide ethical guidelines for certain types of messages. Look at the consequences of the
decision and opt for the solution that provides the greatest good to the greatest number of people,
and one that we can live with.
c) Motivate ethical choices.
Organizations can foster ethical behaviour:
 by helping top managers become more sensitive communicators
 by using ethics audits
 by rewarding ethical actions
3. Understanding the difficulties involved in intercultural communication
More and more businesses are crossing national boundaries to compete on a global scale and the
make up of the global and domestic work force is changing rapidly. Global companies must
understand the laws, customs and business practices of many countries, and they must deal with
business associates and employees.
4. Adopting an audience-centred approach to communication
Using an audience-centred approach means keeping the audience in mind all times when
communicating. Since audience is taken care of, every possible step is taken to get the message
across in a way that is meaningful to the audience. Empathizing with and being sensitive to the
audience’s feelings is the best way to overcome such communication barriers as differences in
perception and emotional interference.
5. Using technology wisely and responsibly to obtain and share information
In today’s world, information moves through an array of media at the speed of a neural impulse.
Technology has such an impact on business communication. When used wisely and responsibly,
technology helps to improve the effectiveness of business communication.
6. Creating and processing messages effectively and efficiently.

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The sixth guideline is to plan messages, generate ideas, organize the thoughts, and turn the words
into effective business messages. In order to create messages effectively and efficiently, consider
the following issues:

a) Learn about the audience

Creating an effective message is difficult if the audience is unfamiliar, or if we don’t know how the
message will be used. We need to know something about the biases, education, age, status and
style of the receiver in order to create an effective message.

b) Adapt the message to the audience

Decisions about the content, organization, style, and tone of the message depend on the relationship
between the sender and the audience.
c) Develop and connect ideas
Include only the information that is useful to the audience, and organize it in such a way that
encourages its acceptance. To make message memorable;
 Use telling statistics.
 Use words that evoke a physical, sensory impression.
 Tie the message to the audience’s frame of reference.
 Keep messages as brief and as clean as possible.
 Highlighting and summarizing key points.
d) Reduce the number of messages
Organizations save time and money by sending only necessary messages. If a written message
merely adds to the information overload, it is probably better left unsent or handled some other
way – by a quick telephone call or a face to face chat. By holding down the number of messages,
organizations will maximize the benefits of their communication activities.
e) Choose the correct channel and medium
The careful choice of channel and medium helps focus the audience’s attention on message. The
choice of a communication channel and medium depends on the:
 Message
 Audience
 Need for speed
 Situation.

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f) Strengthen the communication skills
Recognizing the importance of efficient communication, many companies today train employees in
communication skills. Companies offer seminars and workshops on handling common oral
communication situations (such as dealing with customers, managing subordinates, and getting
along with co-workers), as well as training in computers and other electronic means of
communication.

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