Barriers to Effective Communication

An effective communication barrier is one of the problems faced by many organizations. Many social
psychologists opine that there is 50% to 70% loss of meaning while conveying the messages from a
sender to a receiver. They estimate there are four basic places where communication could be
interpreted wrongly. A few barriers of effective communication in an organization are given below.

Physical Barriers - One of the major barriers of communication in a workplace is the physical barrier.
Physical barriers in an organization includes large working areas that are physically separated from
others. Other distractions that could cause a physical barrier in an organization are the environment,
background noise

Language - Inability to converse in a language that is known by both the sender and receiver is the
greatest barrier to effective communication. When a person uses inappropriate words while conversing
or writing, it could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and a receiver.

Emotions - Your emotions could be a barrier to communication if you are engrossed in your emotions
for some reason. In such cases, you tend to have trouble listening to others or understanding the
message conveyed to you. A few of the emotional interferences include hostility, anger, resentfulness
and fear.

Lack of Subject Knowledge - If a person who sends a message lacks subject knowledge then he may not
be able to convey his message clearly. The receiver could misunderstand his message, and this could
lead to a barrier to effective communication.

Stress - One of the major communication barriers faced by employees in most of the organization is
stress. When a person is under immense stress, he may find it difficult to understand the message,
leading to communication distortion. At the time of stress, our psychological frame of mind depends on
our beliefs, experiences, goals and values. Thus, we fail to realize the essence of communication.

The above-mentioned barriers to effective communication are considered as filters of communications.

You can overcome the barriers to communication through effective and active listening.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/barriers-to-effective-communication.html

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

 Pen
 Paper

1. Step 1
 Ask the deaf person how he or she would like to communicate.

2. Step 2

Use pen and paper to communicate with a deaf person if neither of you has any other
training.

3. Step 3

Communicate with a deaf person who uses oral and auditory approaches, such as lip
reading or speech reading. Know that English is a difficult language to speech read and
most people will need to use an additional communication method.

4. Step 4

Communicate with a deaf person through sign language. American Sign Language (ASL)
is the most popular form of sign language in the United States. Find out more about
learning ASL on the National Association of the Deaf website. See the Resources section
below for a link.

5. Step 5

Communicate through finger-spelling, in which finger signs are used to spell out unusual
words. Learn more about finger-spelling on the Galludet University website. See the
Resources section below for a link.

6. Step 6

Communicate with a deaf person using the Total Communication method, which may
incorporate sign language, speech reading and oral skills.

7. Step 7

Use cued speech, a method of speech reading that also incorporates cues, or hand
movements combined with speech movements. Read more about cued speech and other
communication options on the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing website. See the Resources section below for a link.

8. Step 8

Communicate via technological devices, such as telecommunication relay services, which

enables communication between deaf and hearing people

Read more: How to Communicate With a Deaf Person | eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/how_2056140_communicate-deaf-person.html#ixzz0sv8gKAsm
Communicating With a Deaf or Blind Person

 Step 1

If the person is deaf, touch her arm lightly to announce your presence if approaching from
behind or from the side if she does not see you. Try to remain in front of her and face her when
speaking. Speak at a normal pace to make it easier for her to read your lips as you talk. If
possible, have a paper and pencil available for difficult words or for easier communication.

 Step 2

If the person is blind, speak clearly before approaching him. If he has a guide dog with him, be
sure the guide dog is aware of your presence. Speak to the person and use clear directions such
as, "The door is on your left," or "The chair is behind you to your right." Do not say, "Your book
is over there," and do not point---he will not see where you are pointing.

 Step 3

There are many reasons why a person might be deaf or blind. It could be related to an illness, a
physical or neurological disability, or an injury or accident. Don't make assumptions, but don't be
afraid to ask polite questions. Sometimes, the person may have an aide or an interpreter to assist
her. In this case, it is still OK to ask questions---just ask politely. Don't ignore the person. Smile
and show an interest. Share information about yourself as well, and perhaps find hobbies or
interests that you both might share.

 Step 4

If the person is deaf, don't call out to say that you are leaving. Do not shout at someone who is
deaf---that will not make him hear you any better. Tell him you are leaving while facing him so
that he can read your lips. For a blind person, tell him that you are leaving. Don't simply leave
without announcing it

Read more: How to Communicate With the Deaf or Blind Effectively | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/how_4870509_communicate-deaf-blind-effectively.html#ixzz0sv9WkV2m