A Complete PPT Deck to Overcome Barriers in Business Communication

When was the last time you did just one activity? Watching a movie without looking at your phone. Cleaning the house without FRIENDS reruns in the background. Even taking a walk without answering texts and emails. As much as we believe we are multitasking, we are just fragmenting our concentration. According to a UK communications regulator report, Ofcom, people check their phones every 12 minutes.

Distractions are all around us. With notifications on the phone, the chatter of people, and distant honks from the traffic, it becomes hard to focus on work or be fully present for a conversation. We might miss important details when reading an email or listening to our colleagues.

Communication, or just hoping that it happens amid such a bizarre immediate environment, is simply unsustainable. The consequences are telling, as all these barriers are estimated to cost businesses at least $30 billion a year.

It is critical to learn to recognize the nature of these distractions before we can overcome them and become more engaged at work.

via GIPHY

As a solution to your woes, we bring you our Comprehensive Training Module on Barriers in Business Communication. It is curated for professional trainers to use and deliver an amazing training program. The well-researched exercises make this a highly-interactive course, with or without distractions.

The Barriers

This module is a journey through the obstacles we face in business communication. With each step or milestone covered in this blog, we will gain an increased awareness of these barriers; how they affect us and learn the techniques to overcome them.

There are seven key barriers to be aware of: physical, cultural, language, perceptual, interpersonal, gender, and emotional. Here’s how these affect communication, and we also offer the antidotes of each of these. There is no point in just knowing about the barriers; it is the steps you take to counter these that matter.

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As a hands-on rule based on practical experience, please practice the steps listed against each other with religious regularity. Otherwise, this course will also end up as an academic exercise in communication.

Physical Barriers are the obstacles that obstruct communication through tangible distractions, such as noise, closed paths, uncomfortable office spaces, etc. They lower the ability to interpret nonverbal cues and muddy up the message.

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Whether or not these physical barriers occur naturally or through human interference, the best counters are face-to-face conversations, reducing the noise of devices, etc.

Cultural Barriers are a natural consequence of a difference in customs and gestures. We must make an effort to learn about other cultures and work towards accommodating them; attending more multicultural events in town is also a good way to avoid seeing culture as a distracting force in communication.

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Language Barriers include not just a situation when two people speak in different languages but also the use of jargon unfamiliar to those outside the particular department. Hiring a translator and using simpler words can help us get around this obstacle.

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Perceptual Barriers arise as we experience the world through the lens we develop as we grow up. This might cause alarm if we interpret someone’s words or nonverbal cues incorrectly due to our biases. Challenging our own assumptions and seeking clarity from the speaker can help overcome this barrier.

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This is the most common form of distraction in business communication. In intra-departmental meetings, a neutral statement is seen as being self-promotional. For instance, “We need more people,” is seen as being pushy if the speaker is from sales. This is even as the sales department head could have meant well for the business as a whole.

Interpersonal Barriers are the hardest to get rid of. Sometimes, you just don’t like someone, and sometimes, the other person is universally disliked. Having said this, personal issues cannot be allowed to cloud our interactions. To overcome this obstacle, make sure to keep your cool and ask for feedback, all the while trying to use simpler words to convey your message.

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Gender Barriers from pre-conceived gender biases that society ingrains in us. We must educate all business teams on gender bias and encourage diversity. With this barrier in place, almost all communication gets seen from the prism of male and female perspectives. It is the most insidious and harmful barrier to business communication.

Emotional Barriers stop us from conveying our thoughts or hearing out the other person out properly. Anger or sadness can cloud our judgment and must be dealt with before we engage in a conversion. Through self-reflection and relaxation exercises, we can overcome this obstacle.

Executing What We Have Learnt

With these barriers in business communication and their remedies added to trainees’ skillset, the trainer now has to introduce the group to another activity. The aim is to master the art of emotions, read these accurately and take care that no one is ever hurt because you failed to judge their emotional state of mind.

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Retelling or recounting a story with absolute accuracy despite all the inevitable distractions is the real test of whether communication did happen.

With the activities the real gold test of whether distractions still continue to hold sway in your communication, we can take the trainees through a quick recap of the key takeaways and open the floor for discussion. We can finish with a small test to revise what we have learnt.

Gain access to our full Comprehensive Training Curriculum On Business Communication by clicking here.

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FAQs on Barriers to Business Communication

What are some examples of communication barriers?

Communication barriers are factors that impede effective communication. One of the major obstacles to clear communication is the lack of knowledge among most human beings that communication happens at the listener's level. Yes, barriers are physical, and most are just tangible representations of how we were born and raised.

Language differences can be a major barrier to effective communication. Physical barriers can also interfere with communication. For example, if one person is hard of hearing or has difficulty seeing, it may be more challenging for them to follow someone’s speech or read from a written document.

Similarly, if one person is sitting behind a desk and another person is standing, they may find it difficult to make eye contact or communicate. All these are physical barriers, but remember, when the intent is clear, these are still understood. For instance, the sound of our own name is beyond any physical barriers in practice.

Cultural differences are the hardest to track and can have the most insidious of results. As an example, in a culture that values traditions of formality and respect for authority figures, a business-like culture will be hard to take. Finally, emotional barriers can also present obstacles to effective communication. In times of stress or when people feel threatened, it is highly unlikely that they will listen to you; their focus will always be on defending their point of view. If you can understand this, you will have dismantled a major business communication barrier.

How do communication barriers affect business?

Communication barriers impact business operations, affecting everything from internal messaging to customer interactions. For example, the language barrier between employees and customers has far-reaching consequences, such as customer dissatisfaction, employee frustration, burnout, or even lost business opportunities.

Along similar lines, cultural differences can also lead to communication barriers in the workplace. If a company has employees from diverse cultures or regions, it may be difficult for them to understand each other’s communication styles, beliefs, or preferences. This can cause misunderstandings that impinge on smoother business operations.

Technological barriers are another common cause of ‘communication malfunction’ at the workplace. Employees who use outdated technology or have trouble using a new software platform might struggle to communicate with their colleagues or customers. Additionally, if a company’s internal systems are not integrated or compatible, communication issues that impact business performance crop up. For instance, people blame technology for not attending online meetings when their own work ethic is poor.

What are the causes of communication barriers?

Some most common causes of a communication barrier being erected are differences in language and culture; differing communication styles; distractions or interruptions; feelings of anxiety or frustration; poor listening skills; lack of emotional intelligence, and environmental factors.

Each of these causes can lead to misunderstandings, breakdowns in communication, frustration, and even conflict between individuals or groups. Fortunately, many strategies can be used to overcome these challenges and enhance our communication ability. It is important to take steps to improve our listening skills so that we can understand what the other person is saying. We can improve our emotional intelligence and ability to manage our own feelings and emotions, which gives us better insights into the feelings of others. It is also important to be aware of any distractions or interruptions that may impact communication so that we can work to minimize these factors. Ultimately, communication barriers arise due to a wide range of factors. Understanding these causes can help us identify the best strategies for overcoming these and improving our communication skills.