5 Barriers to Effective Communication & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #255
Communication is an essential skill for all of us to get through life as societal creatures. And good communication is a way to enhance our relationships with others. While it is a necessary skill and one that all humans possess on some intrinsic level, the art of good communication still continues to be a very difficult thing for many of us to learn.
I suppose it all comes down to how we define communication. If you get stuck in the idea that communication is merely the speaking of words that someone else hears then you have much to learn about strong, healthy communication amongst human beings.
Communication is so much more than just speaking and hearing. For the listener, it entails decoding the speaker’s meaning from the words spoken and the manner in which they were spoken. For the speaker, it requires ensuring that the message was received and interpreted as intended. As interpretations are made and thoughtful responses are given, you will find that communication becomes easier if you are wholly present in it.
I have outlined 9 Guidelines for Effective Communication that can help you through any type of human interactions. However, sometimes barriers to effective communication do arise even for the most skilled communicators out there. When communication is hindered in any way, it can lead to incorrect interpretations, false understandings, and even poor relationships. Therefore, understanding what types of outside factors can have a negative effect on communication as well as methods to prevent miscommunication is necessary for building strong, healthy relationships with other people. Whether they are professional or personal relationships, effective communication will always be important for maintaining solid, healthy relationships in any setting.
When you are engaged in communication with another person, it is important to be aware of any outside influences that could negatively impact the communication before drawing wild conclusions in the event of a misinterpretation. Below are five barriers that could inhibit effective communication and ways to prevent it from happening.
1. Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment of either one or all of the parties involved in verbal communication can have a drastic impact on how messages are delivered and received. Hearing impairment can be the result of genetics or due to injury or illness and in severe cases is generally irreversible. People who suffer from hearing impairment or hearing loss do have obstacles to overcome when communicating with others. It can be difficult conveying your own message as well as interpreting the communication received from others, especially with hearing loss and tinnitus. There are certain steps you can take to lessen some of the symptoms of hearing impairment. You can do some research on Cortexi reviews for tinnitus to see if a product like this might ease your issues. Providing anti-inflammatory effects, this product can help your ear health and resolve some of the ringing and buzzing sounds caused by tinnitus that can be very disruptive to everyday life.
Hearing loss can also inhibit your relationships with others, effect your productivity, and depreciate your quality of life. If you have experienced recent hearing loss or impairment, you may consider consulting an audiologist about the benefits of hearing aids, which include reducing the symptoms of tinnitus as well as increasing your independence and giving you an extra tool for effective communication.
2. Language Barriers
Language barriers exist due to regional or geographical differences in dialect. Human beings are social creatures by nature and therefore we tend to interact with other humans whenever we encounter them in the wild. Whether you have traveled across international borders or simply between different geographical regions in the same country, you will have noticed that different accents, dialects, and languages can drastically impact the effectiveness of the communication.
While it may be a lofty goal to learn all the languages of the world and an even loftier one to learn all the different dialects of all the languages of the world, being fluent in more than one language is never a bad thing for enhancing communication. I have never been very adept at learning languages other than my native American English. I took 5 years of French and the only sentence I can even remember is “Je ne parle pas Francais.” (Translation: I do not speak French.)
3. Noise
Noise surrounds us everywhere we go. Most of the time, the noise fades into the background and we can focus on the people in front of us. But sometimes the noise might be too loud to ignore and it becomes one of the most common factors that inhibits communication.
For example, many years ago I was at a business dinner that ended in a very loud bar and the wildest miscommunication happened due to the background noise. It has been more than 20 years since this happened so the details are fuzzy. But the conversation between myself and one of my colleagues, a handsome young man about my age, who reported directly to me in the corporate chain of command, went something like this…
Him: Is your rack real?
Me: EXCUSE ME! Of course, they’re real?
Him: Oh okay. I was just wondering because they are really big and so beautiful.
Me: WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SAYING THESE THINGS TO ME?!
Him: Oh…because my father is a jeweler and I just noticed how sparkly and brilliant they are and wondered if they were real.
Me: OHHHHHH…you were asking about my earrings. No, they’re not real.
He had actually asked me, “Are your rocks real?” and in the noise of the bar I heard “rack” and that tiny little misunderstanding could have led to a lot of problems for him had it not been me!
But other than background noise, the noise inside our heads can also inhibit the way we communicate. Emotional noise caused by anger or sadness or fear can limit our ability to hear what is being said. Intense emotional noise can also impact the manner in which we deliver messages. Therefore, it is really important to process heavy emotions before trying to respond. Clearing away all of the physical and emotional noise is essential to directing your attention to the other person involved in the communication.
4. Impatience
Patience is a virtue…in all things including communication. Effective communication is not just how well you speak and articulate your message. It also requires strong listening skills. Anybody can form words into sentences to get a point across, but not everyone has mastered the art of listening. Listening requires more patience than any other part of communication.
Without actively listening, you cannot respond appropriately if you haven’t really heard what the speaker has said. Active listening requires maintaining eye contact with the speaker and listening without distraction. It is not the time for formulating your response either. It is the time for hearing what is being said. Then take your time before responding. This is where patience is a virtue for the first communicator. Waiting patiently will yield you a more thoughtful response anyway.
Patient communication that remains respectful and kind will eliminate any tension that could arise in rushed and emotional communication. So always check your feelings as well before responding.
5. Lack of Trust
Whenever there is a lack of trust in any communication, the whole thing will likely fail. If you can’t believe the things you are being told, you likely don’t even want to be involved in the communication. But if you trust in the honesty of your own communications, carry on and speak your truth. We learn pretty quickly who can be trusted in communications so follow your intuition there.
Unless you are a hermit, we all interact with other people in some way whether it’s face to face communications, telephone, text, or social media, written word or spoken word or words that we sing, we are in constant communication with the rest of the world and the people in it. It is a thing that we do every single day of our lives so why not get better at it?
Effective communication is crucial for our personal and professional relationships. It improves our productivity and increases focus when less time is spent interpreting miscommunications. It is a life skill that will enhance every single relationship you have. I encourage everyone to take an introspective glance at the way you communicate with others and see if there are areas you can improve. Even if you are already an effective communicator, we all have room for improvement!
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Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
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shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
38 Comments
Anna Marcus
I like your thoughts about communications barriers, Shelbee and know better then anybody else what communication barrier is all about. After leaving in Australia for over 30 years (I came here from Russia at the age of 32), I still speak with an accent and although Australia ‘s soicety is widely multicultural, I sometimes come across some people who feel obliged to tell me that my English is heavely accented.
https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Anna, thank you so much for this comment and sharing your experience. I can’t believe that people find it necessary to tell you about your accent…like you didn’t already know?! But I guess there are people all over the world who cannot embrace that our differences are what give this entire world its beauty. As for accents, we acquire them wherever we live…even in different regions on the east coast of the United States. I live very close to Canada which is only about a 5 hour drive to my hometown in Pennsylvania. After 8 years of living so near the border, I have picked up a tinge of a Canadian accent that friends and family from further south find so funny! And I’m over here thinking…this is just the way I talk! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, my friend! Wishing you all the best in the New Year.
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar Strauss-Benjamin
Great tips! Love the outfit, so classy.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tamar!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mica
I agree communication i simporant!
This is a cute otufit too – I like the pop of colour with your hat 🙂
Thanks for the link up!
Hope that you had a magical Christmas 🙂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mica! I feel like good communication is the keystone to all good relationships. Wishing you a blessed New Year, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
These are definitley very true! Especially communication and noise barriers!
As for your outfit, I can definitley see me wearing it!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Jennifer! This outfit definitely has Jen-vibes going on! Actually, every time I wear this Glen plaid blazer I think of you! It is so similar to the one you have. And it makes me happy that it was thrifted for under $10 I wear it frequently!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jill
These are important points to keep in mind. I tend to get distracted when there is a lot going on in the background and really need to focus. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!
Jill – Doused in Pink
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jill! Distractions are plenty, that is for sure! Wishing you a blessed New Year, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mariann Yip
This is so insightful. Thanks for sharing this. and Yess, you are looking so gorgeous!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Mariann, thanks so very much! I really appreciate that.
xoxo
Shelbee
Mariann Yip
Thanks for sharing this.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Mariann! Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
I also remember “tu parle anglais?”– Do you speak English? Those were my two most used phrases the week I was in France– lukcily we were traveling with our French teacher who was fluent and acted as translator all the time.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Joanne, I just laughed out loud because I didn’t even know how to ask that! I could only shut them down completely as me not speaking any French! Actually, I can also say “Je parle un peu français” which means I speak a little French. Which is kind of a lie because I speak much less than a little! I wonder how you say that…
Google translate to the rescue! Je ne parle presque pas français à part cette phrase. I speak almost no French other than this sentence.
Yes, I would definitely need a translator!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
These are all amazing communication aids! (I did have to chuckle…ok…guffaw…at your “rack” story!) When I was teaching, one of the things we hit over and over again was active listening. If you’re too busy thinking of what you want to say, you’re not listening to what someone is saying. And, gosh, that noise inside the head certainly rings true (in many ways…suffering from tinnitus is not fun)! I often have to shut down the devilish little voice inside my head in order to hear what people with whom I disagree say. I’m a work in progress is my excuse!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Marsha! I just shared a little follow up to the rack story in a response to Michelle but I will copy here as well…
I randomly ran into that guy years later in the middle of NYC’s Grand Central Station of all places. It was like a scene from a movie when two old lovers run into one another after years of separation. Except we were never lovers, just work acquaintances. We spotted each other across the crowded terminal and it was as if the crowd parted for us as we walked hastily towards one another, him laughing as he shouted at me, “Hey! Is your rack real?!” We embraced, shared a big wonderful laugh together, and caught up with each other on our short walk out of Grand Central where we parted ways and I never saw him again.
As for active listening, I guess it doesn’t much help in a loud bar! Hahaha. I was very actively listening, trying to hear what the guy was saying. And I misheard anyway! But it is a great communication skill that everyone should learn. You can’t be thinking about your response before you have even heard the whole thing that you are responding to. And we are all works in progress, my friend! Any progress is good progress so keep on doing the work! That’s my plan until the day I die.
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Excellent, excellent points! One of my few Medium articles was about communication. It really is an art. I’ve often considered writing an e-book on the topic, but I guess I must enjoy making jewelry and quilting more. LOL! I got a giggle about the convo in the loud bar with your subordinate. Loud bars and restaurants are so frustrating.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Michelle, thanks so much! Communication requires so much more “paying attention” than people realize. If you are not wholly present in the moment when communicating with someone, you aren’t communicating effectively. Easy as that! And loud bars and restaurants can definitely inhibit the whole process. Which is why we also need to be aware of the environmental influences when communicating as well.
As for the subordinate in the bar, I randomly ran into him years later in the middle of NYC’s Grand Central Station of all places. It was like a scene from a movie when two old lovers run into one another after years of separation. Except we were never lovers, just work acquaintances. We spotted each other across the crowded terminal and it was as if the crowd parted for us as we walked hastily towards one another, him laughing as he shouted at me, “Hey! Is your rack real?!” We embraced, shared a big wonderful laugh together, and caught up with each other on our short walk out of Grand Central where we parted ways and I never saw him again. I can’t even remember his name now! I wish I could. I might have to social media stalk him and say hello!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Oh how cool that you ran into the “rack” subordinate again! It’s so fun to share a joke like that. It’s funny how people enter, and then often leave our lives again.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
It is! It really is! I was just imagining how funny it would be if this blog post somehow made its way to that guy and he commented! Ha. That would be something crazy, wouldn’t it?!
Lovely
Wonderful tips and suggestions! You look lovely in this outfit. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wishing you and your family a happy 2022!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lovely! I hope your Christmas was magical! Wishing you all the best in the new year!
xoxo
Shelbee
Cindy
Best wishes for a bountiful, happy and healthy New Year, Shelby! Catch you “on the other side” …
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Cindy! Wishing you a blessed New Year as well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Maureen
These are great points. I struggled with communication when I came to the US. I had a very deep Filipino accent and lots of the time it was hard to express myself. Nowadays, I factor culture in when speaking to someone. I have seen how a misunderstandings can be caused simply by an accent. So I am more patient and ask other questions to find out what they mean.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Maureen, thanks so much for sharing your experience. It really does change the way you approach something like communication when you have experienced things like this. I have never really been in a situation where someone couldn’t understand my accent so it is good for me to hear your experiences. It helps me to be more aware and patient as well.
I remember when I was in law school, I was so impressed by the international students who spoke English as their second language. I was struggling along trying to learn all the legal jargon and concepts in my first (and only) language. I can’t imagine having to first translate it all and then understand it. That takes a lot of brain power that I don’t have so I have much respect for it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Looking so very nice there. Great tips and I will add one more-Our own filters in which we hear things. Thanks for hosting this great party.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Patrick! Oh, absolutely, the way we filter things and just our overall general biases can skew the way we interpret communications, too. See…it’s not just talking and hearing! Haha. There is so much to be aware of when communicating.
xoxo
Shelbee
Laura Bambrick
That rock/rack story is a great one! I had to chuckle reading it! Communication is so important! I really enjoy working with people to improve their communication as a speech therapist!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Laura! The rack/rock story was one of those hilarious situations that you never forget! And I love that you are a speech therapist! Especially since both of my kids needed speech therapy when they were younger. I really appreciate speech therapists more than ever!
xoxo
Shelbee
Maya Kuzman
Great tips, Shelbee! I couldn’t help laughing loud at the noise one!! Happy holidays!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Maya! That is definitely a funny story that I will remember forever! Wishing you all the best in the new year!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
There is so much relational static right now. Humble listening is our great hope.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I agree completely, Michele! Thanks for commenting. I hope you have a blessed New Year, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jessica A Jannenga
Love the platform boots and you know I am a fan of plaid blazers, looks wonderful! Your hair always looks great and long! Can I borrow a few more inches as my hair is getting a bit more fine.!
This was very good as I know sometimes I do some of these things- listening is a skill for sure. Sometimes the hubby will talk tech and I can feel my eyes glazng over- half listening. I think he does the same thing with me and fashion.
thanks for linking!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jess! I need to get my hair cut so badly. It has been almost 2 years and the ends are so damaged, I probably need to cut a few inches off to get it healthy again! I am glad you enjoyed the article. Good communication is definitely a skill that we can all improve on sometimes. I am sure that you and Roy communicate just fine when it is necessary…but I did chuckle at your eyes glazing over when he tech talks and his eyes glazing over when you fashion talk! Haha…that sounds like me and Jeff except his is sheet metal and duct work talk…he talks about crafting these shapes out of sheet metal and I’m thinking, hmmm, I wonder if you can make me a dress out of that stuff! LOL
xoxo
Shelbee