• At the height of the Cold War, an offhand comment made by

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to a British diplomat was

translated as `We will bury you'. According to linguist Alan K.
Melby, Khrushchev's remark, made in the context of a
conversation about the competition between communism and
capitalism, was essentially a restatement (in considerably more
vivid language) of Marx's claim of communism's historic
inevitability.
• Although 'we will bury you' is an acceptable literal rendering of
Khrushchev's words, an equally accurate and contextually
more appropriate translation would have been `We will be
present at your burial'.
• Such a rendering is consistent with Khrushchev's comment later in the same
conversation that communism did not need to go to war to destroy capitalism,
since the latter would eventually destruct itself. In the United States, the
common interpretation of `we will bury you was that we referred to the USSR,
you meant the United States, and bury denoted annihilate. For many, especially
those who viewed communism as a malign doctrine, the phrase became prima
facie evidence of the USSR's malevolent intentions toward the United States.
• The controversy over proper translation of Khrushchev's remark reveals a serious
shortcoming of the encoder—decoder account of human communication.
Although language is in some respects a code, in other respects it is not. The fact
that `we will bury you' could yield two equally `correct' renderings that differed
radically underscores the fact that humans do not use language simply as a set
of signals mapped onto a set of meanings.
• Although all communication is subject to misunderstandings, business
communication is particularly difficult as the material is often complex.
• Moreover, the sender and the receiver may face distractions that divert
their attention. Further, the opportunities for feedback are often limited,
making it difficult to correct misunderstandings.
• Communication barriers are not limited to an individual or two people only,
they exist in the entire organization. Miscommunication takes place when
the message received is not the same as the message sent. The causes for
miscommunication are many. Some significant causes for
miscommunication are discussed below:
• Organizational Structure: All organizations, irrespective of their size, have
their own communication techniques and each nurtures its own
communication climate. In large organizations where flow of information is
downward, feedback is not guaranteed. Organizations with a flat structure
usually tend to have an intricately knitted communication network. Tall
organizations generally have too many vertical communication links, as a
result messages become distorted as they move through the various
organizational levels.
• Irrespective of the size, all organizations have communication policies that
describe the protocol to be followed. It is the structure and complexity of
this protocol that usually gives rise to communication barriers.
• Organizations not only employ the formal methods of communication but also
the informal ones, such as grapevine. Today, organizations have realized that
a rigid hierarchical structure usually restricts the flow, of communication.
When the process of communication is hierarchical, information flows through
a number of transfer points. There is a strong possibility that messages may
get distorted, delayed, or lost at these points. To obviate this, the receiver
should be contacted directly rather than through numerous transfer stations.
Also, the message should be presented orally as this reduces the dependence
on transfer stations. To further overcome structural barriers, opportunities
should exist for communicating upward, downward, and horizontally (using
techniques like employee surveys, open-door policies, newsletters, memos,
and task groups). An attempt should be made to reduce hierarchical levels,
increase co-ordination between departments, and encourage two-way
communication.
• Difference in Status When people belonging to different hierarchical positions
communicate with each other, there is a possibility of miscommunication.
Generally, employees at lower levels of the hierarchy are overly cautious while
sending messages to managers and talk about subjects they think the
managers are interested in. Similarly, people of higher status may distort
messages by refusing to discuss anything that would tend to undermine their
authority in the organization. In other words, they may want to retain the
importance of their status. This tendency is beneficial neither for the
employees nor for the organization. Limiting oneself to a particular
department or being responsible for a particular task can narrow one's point of
view so that it differs from the attitudes, values, and expectations of people
who belong to other departments or who are responsible for other tasks.
 Miscommunication arising due to differences in status can be
overcome by keeping the managers and the lower-level
employees well informed. Employees should be encouraged to
keep their managers informed by being fair minded and
respectful of their opinions. They should be brave and convey
even such information that the boss might not like.
 Lack of Trust: Establishing credibility or building trust among
subordinates or with colleagues is a difficult task. Subordinates
may not know whether their manager will respond in a supportive
or responsible way, and hence, it is necessary for the manager to
ensure that they have faith in him. Without trust, free and open
communication is effectively blocked, thereby threatening the
organization's stability. You may be very clear in your
communication, but that is not enough. People should trust you to
accept or to freely discuss with you on what you communicate.
 Barriers to trust can be overcome by being visible and accessible.
Hiding or insulating behind assistants or secretaries will not help.
Share key information with colleagues and employees,
communicate honestly, and include employees in decision
making. Creating an open communication environment in the
organization, helping employees in times of distress, and assuring
them of your suggestion or co-operation may help you to build
trust in their minds.
 Closed Communication Climate An organization's communication climate is
influenced by its management style. A directive, authoritarian style blocks free
and open exchange of information that characterizes good communication. To
overcome barriers related to organizational environment, one should spend
more time listening than issuing orders. Make sure you respond constructively
to employees, and, of course, encourage employees and colleagues to offer
suggestions, help set goals, participate in solving problems, and help make
decisions. See to it that employees are willing to communicate both their
problems and perspectives to you openly.
 Incorrect Choice of Medium Choosing an inappropriate communication medium
can distort the message and block the intended meaning. One should select a
medium that suits the nature of the message and the intended recipient(s).
Media richness relates to the value or importance of a medium in a given
communication situation. It is determined by a medium's ability to convey a
message using more than one informational cue (visual, verbal, or vocal) to
facilitate feedback and to establish personal focus.
 Face-to-face communication is the richest medium because it is personal, it
provides immediate feedback, transmits information from both verbal and
non-verbal cues, and conveys the emotion behind the message. Telephones
and other interactive electronic media are not as effective. Although they
allow immediate feedback, they do not provide visual non-verbal cues, such
as facial expressions, eye contact, and body movements. Written media can
be personalized through memos, letters, and reports, but immediate
feedback is missing along with the visual and vocal non-verbal cues that
contribute to the meaning of the message. The leanest media are generally
impersonal written messages, such as bulletins, fliers, and standard reports.
They lack the ability to transmit non-verbal cues and to give feedback. They
also eliminate any personal focus.
 Information Overload At times, people load their messages with too much
information. Remember that too much information is as bad as too little
because it reduces the audience's ability to concentrate on the most
important part of the message. The recipients facing information overload
sometimes tend to ignore some of the messages, delay responses to
messages they deem unimportant, answer only parts of some messages, or
react only superficially to all messages. All these failures lead to
miscommunication.
 To overcome information overload, as a sender, be focused, realize that
some information is not necessary, and include only the pertinent
information.
• Message Complexity There are two significant reasons for any message to
become complex in a business setting--one, the dry an difficult nature of the
message itself and the other, the difficulty in understanding it. Imagine trying to
write an important insurance policy, a set of instructions on how to operate a
sophisticated LCD projector, the guidelines for checking credit references, an
explanation of why profits have dropped by 10% in the last six months, or a
description of some solid waste management program. These topics are dry, and
making them clear and interesting is a real challenge. When formulating business
messages, you communicate both as an individual and as a representative of an
organization. Thus, you must adjust your own ideas and style so that they are
acceptable to your employer. Regardless of your personal feelings, you must
communicate your firm's message, a task communicators find difficult.
• Of course, it is not difficult to overcome the barriers to communicating complex
messages. It can be done by keeping the messages clear and easy to
understand, organizing them suitably, guiding readers by telling them what to
expect, using concrete and specific language, and by being focused. Never forget
to ask for feedback, which is essential for clarifying and improving a message.
 Message Competition Invariably most of the business messages
compete for the full and undivided attention of their receivers. This
may happen at two levelsintra-personal and inter-personal. If you
are talking on the phone while scanning a report, both messages
are apt to get short shrift. It may happen so that when you are the
sender of a message, it may have to compete with a variety of
interruptions—phone rings every five minutes, people intrude,
meetings are called, and crises arise. In short, your messages
rarely have the benefit of the receiver's undivided attention. Such
barriers are true for both oral and written messages.
 Avoid communicating to a receiver who does not have the time to
pay attention to your message.
 Unethical Communication Relationships within and outside the
organization depend on trust and fairness. It does not mean that
organizations should not be tactful. By all means it is possible for
organizations to avoid illegal or unethical messages and still be
credible or successful in the long run. Barriers arising out of
unethical conduct may affect communication both within and
outside the organization. Imagine a situation in which your
colleague goes to your boss and takes credit for the success of a
project, which in reality you have accomplished.
• Similarly, think about a leading company that has created hype about the
potential of its product, and in the process hoodwinked its prospective customers.
These examples reveal that resorting to unethical means in communication may
not drive you to success but to trouble.
• Make sure that your messages include all the factual information that ought to be
there. Ensure that your information is adequate and relevant to the situation.
Above all, make sure that your message is completely truthful, not deceptive in
any way, and does not mislead the audience.
• Physical Distractions Recall the time when you delivered a talk to a large
audience seated in a hall, which was poorly lit and inadequately seated. You
might have observed that though you tried your best to attract the audience's
attention through the various verbal and non-verbal means of communication,
you found it difficult because of the shortcomings of the place. Communication
barriers are often physical: bad connections, poor acoustics, illegible copy, etc.
• Although noise of this sort seems trivial, it can completely block an otherwise
effective message. An uncomfortable chair, poor lighting, or some other irritating
condition might also distract your receiver. In some cases, the barrier may be
related to the receiver's health. Hearing or visual impairment or even a headache
can interfere the reception of a message. These annoyances do not generally
block communication entirely, but they do reduce the receivers' concentration by
distracting their attention.
 To overcome physical barriers, exercise as much control
as possible over the physical transmission link. If you
are delivering an oral presentation, choose a setting that
permits the audience to see and hear you without
straining.
 To decrease the possibility of miscommunication, follow
these four simple steps:
1. Consider seriously the recipients of your message.
Make sure that the key people who have to receive the
written or oral message are included. One way to
ensure you have involved the right people is to think
about who should have a say in the context. Make your
decisions accordingly.
2. Think about how to send the message, i.e., should the
mode be verbal or written. Verbal messages can be
easily misinterpreted, especially when there are noises
or distractions in the immediate surroundings; if the
sender or receiver is anxious, uncertain, or fearful; if the
words used are unclear or if the message is
complicated, detailed, unclear, and so on.
3. Follow up your verbal message with a written statement. In a
meeting, if you make an important planned statement,
distribute a copy of that message. If it was important, but not
planned or not written down, ask someone to repeat the
statement. After a phone call, a brief encounter with
someone, or a scheduled meeting, follow up the statements
with a written communication of understanding or
confirmation.
4. Finally, decide who can communicate with whom. As a
leader, your goal is to combine simplicity with effectiveness.
You want messages to come in and go out; you want the right
people to receive them in an efficient and effective manner.
This means deciding who speaks and writes to whom.
If all communications pass through your
office, you will have direct and complete
control over formal information. This is a very
time-consuming, bureaucratic, and control-
oriented approach with clear drawbacks. The
disadvantage, however, of allowing everyone
to speak with everyone is that the company
messages probably would not be uniform.
Therefore, consider the risks before deciding
how to handle company information.
By being effective, managers can create and establish a
healthy organizational environment. Effective
communication enables managers in moving towards better
functionalization of departments and successfully dealing
with the complexity of business activities. A manager with
good communication skills would certainly have an edge
over others in dealing with and solving problems arising out
of turbulence in trade unions and other disturbances among
abjurers. He/she will be competent in facing inter-cultural
differences too.
• How to make managerial communication more effective? There are certain
characteristics of managerial communication, an understanding of which would
provide the managers with a proper perspective on effectiveness in
communication. The factors that render communication effective are as follows:
• Appropriate Communication Style: Every organization has its own culture,
which is a reflection of its values, traditions, habits, and customs. Some companies
tend to curb the upward flow of communication believing that it is time consuming
and unproductive, whereas other companies foster candor and honesty, and
employees feel free to confess their mistakes, to disagree with their boss, and to
express their opinions.
• There are several factors that influence an organization's communication climate,
including the nature of the industry the company's physical set-up, the history of
the company, and passing events. However, one of the most important factors is
the management style of the top management. Some managers regard workers
as lazy and Irresponsible, motivated by the fear of losing their jobs. Such
managers adopt a directive style.
• On the other hand, some other managers adopt a more supportive style, assuming
that people like to work and take responsibility when they believe in what they are
doing. There is yet another set of managers who encourage employees to work
together as a team. Such managers adopt a participative style. Although the
company still looks after employees, it also gives them the opportunity to take
responsibility and to participate in decision making.
 The trend today is towards any style that encourages open
communication climate. In such a climate, managers spend more
time listening than issuing orders, and workers not only offer
suggestions but also help set goals and collaborate on solving
problems. It expects special managers to create an open
atmosphere and stay in touch with employees. Effective managers
understand that free flow of information allows an organization to
identify and attack problems quickly. Therefore, to promote the
right atmosphere, these managers get out of their offices, walk
around headquarters, meet often with small non-management
groups, and travel the country and the globe to visit their `troops'.
To understand and to be understood by their work force, they
learn other languages when necessary, and even though they
prefer face-to-face conversations, they use high-tech means like
video conferencing.
 As the participative style promotes and establishes open
communication climate, it is the best amongst the three styles of
management.
 Audience-centered Approach: Managers need to keep their audience in mind at all times during the
process of communication. Their ability to empathize with, be sensitive to, and generally consider
their audience's feelings is the best way to be effective in their communication. Focusing on the
audience is the impetus for everything else they do in the communication process. For example,
being clear and correct in their communication is important not only because it is ethical but also
because it ensures that their audience has an opportunity to react to their message without having to
sort out cluttered or incorrect language.
 More than an approach to business communication, the audience-centered approach is actually the
modern approach to business in general (it is behind the concepts of total quality management and
total customer satisfaction). The advantages of using this approach include successful communication
by making it meaningful for the audience, enhanced credibility (because our audience perceives our
sincerity), and staving off uncountable ethical questions (because when we concentrate on the
benefits to our audience, our concern for others reduces the chance of an ethical lapse).
 As managers want to know what their audience's needs are and what they think of their message,
they will work for an open communication climate inside and outside their organization. Because they
sincerely wish to satisfy the needs of their audience, they will approach communication situations
with good intentions and high ethical standards. Since they need to understand their audience, they
will do whatever it takes to understand intercultural differences and barriers. Because they make a
practice of anticipating their audience's expectations, they will choose the appropriate technological
tools for their message and make the best use of them. Finally, because they value their audience's
time, they will prepare and communicate oral and written messages as efficiently as possible. Hence,
centering their attention on their audience helps managers accomplish the other five factors that
contribute to the effectiveness of managerial communication.
3. Understanding of Intercultural Communication:
With the phenomenal advancement in the field of science and
technology, 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. The European,
Asian, and US firms are establishing offices around the world and
creating international ties through global partnerships,
cooperatives, and affiliations.
It is necessary for these companies to understand the laws,
customs, and business practices of their host countries, and deal
with business associates and employees who are native to these
countries. Even within their nation, firms are working with a growing
number of employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. So,
whether managers work abroad or at home, they will encounter
increasing cultural diversity in the workplace. To compete
successfully in today's multicultural environment, they have to
overcome the communication barriers arising out of various
differences in language, culture, business practices, etc.
Understanding cultural differences in perception,
greetings, and gestures is critical to all business
people. Success in business often depends on
knowing the business practices, social customs, and
etiquette of the host country. Ignorance in this
regard and the mistakes committed may lead to
miscommunication, which can cause businesses to
lose their position in the market, keep firms from
accomplishing their objectives, and ultimately lead
to failure.
Today's managers must realize that it is not enough
if they are able to speak a language, they must also
be able to communicate effectively in various
business situations.