1. Semantic Barriers a. Homophones: Words having similar pronunciation but different meanings b. Badly expressed message c.

Wrong interpretation d. Technical language e. The choice of words or language in which a sender encodes a message will influence the quality of communication. Because language is a symbolic representation of a phenomenon, room for interpretation and distortion of the meaning exists. Note that the same words will be interpreted different by each different person. Meaning has to be given to words and many factors affect how an individual will attribute meaning to particular words. It is important to note that no two people will attribute the exact same meaning to the same words. 2. Organizational barriers
a) organisational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it

confusing to know who to communicate with. b) Inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of them. c) These barriers come about as a result of problems with staff in an organisation. These may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks, or just resistance to change due to entrenched attitudes and ideas. 3. Interpersonal barriers How we perceive communication is affected by the past experience with the individual. Percpetion is also affected by the organizational relationship two people have. For example, communication from a superior may be perceived differently than that from a subordinate or peer. (a) Barriers emanating from superiors:

i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Shortage of time for employees Lack of trust Lack of consideration for employees needs Wish to capture authority Fear of losing power of control Bypassing Information overload

b. Barriers emanating from subordinates: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Lack of proper channel No interest to communicate Lack of co-operation Lack of trust Poor relationship between superior and subordinate Fear of penalty

4. Individual barriers a. If someone has personal problems like worries about their health or marriage, then this will probably affect them b. Psychological factors such as people's state of mind. We all tend to feel happier and more receptive to information when the sun shines. c. State of Health: may result from individuals' personal discomfort, caused, for example, by ill health, poor eye sight or hearing difficulties. 5. Cross cultural (geographic) barriers a. National character / basic personality b. Language c. Values and norms of behavior d. Social relationships e. Non verbal communication

f. Words, colours and symbols.

Different languages and cultures represent a national barrier which is particularly important for organisations involved in overseas business.

6. Physical barriers/ channel and media barriers a. Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. Thus, for example, the natural barrier which exists, if staff are located in different buildings or on different sites. b. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause problems. c. Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an organisation. d. Whilst distractions like background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect people's morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with effective communication.

Measures to overcome Barriers in Communication

1. Speak slowly and clearly. Focus on clearly enunciating and slowing down your speech. Even if youre pressured for time, dont rush through your communication. Doing so often takes more time, as miscommunication and misunderstanding can result and youll ultimately have to invest additional time in clearing up the confusion. 2. Ask for clarification. If you are not 100% sure youve understood what others say, politely ask for clarification. Avoid assuming youve understood whats been said. 3. Frequently check for understanding. Check both that youve understood whats been said and that others have fully understood you. Practice reflective listening to check your own understanding (e.g. 'So what I hear you saying is') and use open-ended questions to check other peoples understanding. Ask, 'what's your understanding of this process?' instead of 'is that clear?' 4. Avoid idioms. Business language is often contextual, and therefore culture specific. For example, in the US, baseball terms are used extensively: Straight off the Bat, Ballpark figures, Out in left field, Touch base, Strike a deal. As a good general rule, if the phrase requires knowledge of other information be it a game or metaphorrecognize that this may make your communication more difficult to be understood. 5. Be careful of jargon. Watch the use of TLAs (Three Letter Abbreviations) and other organizational language that may not be understood by others. If you use them, provide in parentheses a description of what these are so others can learn to use the same language you do.

6. Define the basics of business. In international business contexts terms such as: success, doneness, meetings, punctuality, etc. may mean different things to different people. Spend time early in your communication defining what these mean to you and others. Invest in building a shared vocabulary. 7. Be specific. Spell out your expectations and deadlines clearly. Instead of, Please get back to me shortly, say Please email the completed report by 5 pm Eastern Standard time on Wednesday, February 21. 8. Choose your medium of communication effectively. Carefully choose your form of communication (phone or video conference, email, instant message, etc.). Be mindful not to overuse email. While useful, there are times when the medium is likely to be ineffective. When a message is complex and complicated or there is tension or conflict that needs to be resolved, switch to another medium. 9. Provide information via multiple channels. Follow phone calls with emails that summarize whats been said. When possible, provide presentations, agendas, etc. in advance so those working in their non-native language can get familiar with materials. 10. Be patient. Cross-cultural communication takes more time. If not at all times, certainly initially you cannot expect your communication to occur with the same speed and ease as when you are communicating with someone from your own culture.