Tips For Effective Communication To Overcome The Barriers

Communication is defined as the transmission of messages or information from one individual to another and it involves exchange of ideas, thoughts, emotions, feelings, facts and information through speech, writings, signals, behavior, etc. it occurs between two or more persons and plays an important role in the each and every activity, without a proper communication organisation’s success, is impossible.

Functions of communication in an organization

To inform a message to the various levels of the organization

To instruct and give orders to the subordinates

Helps in the coordination between various departments

To direct and control the employees

To assign responsibilities

To eliminate misunderstandings

To motivate the employees

It helps in smooth running of the business

Communication process

Various components of the communication process facilitate the exchange of information between two or more individuals. These components include sender, encoding, message, decoding, receiver and feedback.

Communication process starts with the sender or communicator; sender has an intended message and conveys this information or message to one or more persons. Encoding involves putting the sender’s message into a code and here the message may be in the form of written, oral or symbols. The output of encoding is the message which the sender wants to convey. Decoding is the process it involves translating and finding the meaning of the code which can be understood by the receivers. The receiver can be a single person or more than one person, here the receiver decodes and interprets the message. Feedback helps in checking whether the sender’s message is reached or not, and the effectiveness of the communication is known by the receiver’s feedback.

Types of communication

Types of communication are based on the communication channels and communication style and purpose.

Based on the communication channels:

Depending on the channels, communication is subdivided into verbal and nonverbal communications.

Verbal communication:

Oral communication

In oral communication, the message is exchanged through spoken words between two or more individuals. It is an interpersonal communication and effective. Senders can convey the message without any communication gaps and it facilitates immediate feedback because oral communication is quick and easy to understand.

Examples of oral communication include meetings, teleconference, video conference, online chat, interview, oral presentation, group discussion, and lectures etc.

Written communication

Written communication is the widely used method by the business organizations to facilitate the effective business communication. A written document is used to convey the message to the various levels of the hierarchy. Written communication is a recorded document which can be used as a proof for the further communication process.

Examples of written communication include letters, email, report, Text messaging, notice, newsletter, bulletin, catalogs, brochures, billboards, etc.

Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication includes various visual clues and conveys messages through human behavior and actions rather than words. This is also a powerful interpersonal communication.

Examples of nonverbal communication include facial expression, body language, gestures, touch, personal appearance, silence, etc.

Based on the communication style and purpose:

Formal communication

Formal communication is an effective channel for transmitting the message between various levels of the organization. It is planned, systematic and officially accepted communication. Formal communication is also very popular and used to flow orders from the top level to the lower levels, to maintain coordination between the same level employees, and to take suggestions from employees at various levels.

Informal Communication

Informal communication is not an official channel for communicating in the organization. It is a widely used oral communication and flows between various informal groups. It facilitates quick and valuable information to different levels of the hierarchy.

Communication Barriers 

Barriers of communication are Lack of clarity, lack of communication skills, fear, lack of interpersonal relations, perception errors, lack of feedback, poor listening skills, fake attention during listening, noise, insufficient time to deliver the message, information overload, etc.

Tips to Overcome the Barriers of Communication

Organizational communication can be improved by using the following tips and these tips can reduce the possible distortions.

Purpose

The purpose of organizational communication is to coordinate different activities to reach the desired objectives. So, before communicating a message the purpose of that message should be kept in mind.

Appropriate Language

Language plays a major role in the entire process of communication. A major part of the distortions is as a result of inappropriate language. By using a proper language the receiver can understand clearly which greatly reduces the chance of distortion.

Listening Skills

If the sender conveys a message through oral communication then the receiver should pay attention to decode the message. Fake attention, interrupting, poor listening habits and distracting actions lead to ineffective communication. Good listening skills help in reducing the efforts to reach the desired objectives.

Be Sensitive

While conveying a message, polite words should be used to fulfill the purpose of the organizational communication. Harsh words may hurt the receiver, so the communicator should be polite. Sensibility in communication increases the chances of loyalty. Any organization’s success depends on its trust towards the society.

Appropriate Channel

Make sure that the selected channel should be suitable. Noise and disturbance can make the communication ineffective and useless.

Feedback

Senders should encourage the receivers to give feedback to ensure that the message is properly delivered or not.

Reduce Perception errors

Mutual trust between the sender and receiver helps in knowing and reducing the perception errors.

Clarity

Usually, poor communication is the result due to lack of clarity. While communicating a message in the organizations one should clearly define the purpose of the communication.