Tips to overcome communication barriers

Communication is a skill that all of us use. Be it in the form of verbal, written, visual or per se even in the form of sign language. Also, we should avoid communication barriers. Again, we can also distinguish who we are connecting to, for example,

• Mass Communication
• Formal/Informal
• Face-to-face communication
• Group Discussions etc.

What are the Communication Barriers 

You might come across many barriers in your day-to-day communication. A few of the common communication barriers are: 

• Jumping to assumptions without actually understanding the situation
• Emotional barriers while cross-cultural communication
• Perception barriers
• Inclusion and Cultural barriers
• Distractions
• Lack of interest and divided attention span
• Communicating to just respond

 Technological advancements and communication barriers are growing and are shaping the world we live in. A few years from now big data and artificial intelligence will change the way we work and optimize the same. 

Despite all the technology, humans always have a scope to add value differently in every field. That being said, the value will definitely have to do with the form of communication. 

It is becoming more important to convey information than to just gain knowledge. Therefore, communication skills have a significant impact on your success in any field. Communication is such a crucial skill that it tops the list of every recruiter.

How to Effectively Communicate

You might be wondering what are effective communication skills then. Good communication is simply concise and clear. The interaction should be so effective that the information passed on is understood in the same sense by the receiver. That is when communication is considered to be successful.

Overcome from Communication barrier

The most important trait for any employee is to be a well-versed communicator.

From a level 1 employee to a CEO communicating in a workplace environment is obvious. One has to come across a whole lot of meetings every day. 

A considerable amount of your time goes into meetings. Especially, ideating and planning meetings, project meetings or conferences. All these meetings require acquiring and conveying the right information. That means it has to involve efficient communication to be precise and avoid communication barriers. 

For that, you need to ask questions or answer others’ questions. As people want you to understand their ideas or want you to help them understand their ideas. More importantly, listen not to just respond but to understand. You win the business only when your potential client/customer trusts you. If you are looking for people to believe in your process, they need to trust you first. 

Importance of Communication Skills

Communicating with someone sounds like an easy task. Right? Well, it isn’t. Most people when asked which skill they’d want to improve, their usual reply is that is down to communication skills. 

• How can having great communication skills become more impactful? 
• Will that skill help them transform themselves as a leader? 

When we talk about communication, it involves meaning and connection, irrespective of technological changes. To understand this, we need to start analysing the purpose of communication. Things like your goals, ideas, plans or whatever you want to say to the other person. Amongst all this, how you listen is also very important. 

If you desire to be a great leader, you also need to be a great communicator. To be a person who is well-versed, you need to communicate with clarity, energy, empathy and context. That means you need to overcome the communication barriers which stop you from conversing effectively. It takes continuous effort and willpower. With multiple communication channels coming around us we are losing the essence of communication. To say the least, ineffectiveness in communication and barriers to communication have become immense issues. To understand this, let’s understand what communication barriers are.

You might be interested: Effective Workplace Communication

Elements of Communication

Every skill involves essential elements which have to be improved, practised and implemented. Similarly, communication skills also have a set of elements which shall be discussed as follows,

• Body language 

One way we influence each other is non-verbal - be it through a smile, a nod or a proper handshake. It communicates more than words. They say body language speaks louder than words and it will also help improve communication barriers.  

This part highlights the importance of using body language. Therefore, this element of communication includes

• Gesture
• Facial expressions 
• Eye Contact
• Body postures and movements.
• Acknowledging or Denying by Nodding etc.

However, we not only use body language intentionally but also in a few situations use these elements unintentionally. You might have done this too. Remember not smiling at your colleague when you were feeling nervous about something? That is what we are talking about.

• Voice Modulation

Have you ever considered how other people perceive you based on the sound of your voice? Your voice is unique and it is authentically yours. Like your thumbprint. We all know about personal branding. The most important part of your personal brand is your voice, it is your calling card. 

That means, pronunciation and tone, speed, intensity and clarity are very crucial elements. These elements shape your voice and ultimately the way you communicate. 

Work on the elements of your voice and maximize them to create the best of your voice brand. You should not sound monotonous. However, your voice should not be too low or too loud. The way you inculcate the above elements in your voice determines how others are perceiving things. For instance, the way you speak to a toddler differs from the way you speak in your workplace. 

• Listening Skills

The most overlooked but at the same time the most important part of communication is ‘Listening’. Having communication skills without listening ability is just one person saying something to the walls or the trees. People are connected without geographical boundaries, all thanks to the digital world we are living in. In emails, texts, tweets, comments, and online meetings there is a lot of communication going around us. 

However, the question is, how much is really being listened to and acknowledged? Not just for the sake of giving a response but to understand. The number of distractions around really does not leave much mental and emotional space to listen to others. Some studies show that the most successful communicators listen more than they speak.

Furthermore, listening is crucial because it helps us understand the other person. Above all, it helps us build trust and rapport. Communication barriers in organizations lead to conflicts. Moreover, you cannot manage conflicts if you don't listen. And most importantly, it is not just for managing conflicts. Even in your interview, boardroom meetings, or negotiation talks, listening helps to communicate more clearly and efficiently. It might positively change someone's mind.

• Empathetic Communication to avoid communication barrier

Empathy is usually categorized as an emotional and cognitive response. Which means we put ourselves into the situation the opposite person is going through. In order to understand the person’s emotions and feelings, we form an empathetic connection. Therefore, it paves a path for effective communication so that it is easier for us to understand them.

In other words, empathetic communication shapes your conversation with other people. When you empathize you show compassion. More importantly, empathy helps you communicate with respect to your thoughts. Similarly, it helps you align your thoughts to connect with the other person you’re communicating with. You tailor your conversations with a more open approach. A pinch of empathy in your communication will add magic in the way you connect with people.

In Conclusion, Be present. Be curious. Be Interested.

It's critical to recognize your communication style and understand how to establish rapport. Learning how to listen actively and reflectively can also make a huge difference in your capacity to influence others. 

Above all, you can be more productive and influential if you have strong business communication skills. These skills will help you not only at work but in all of your interactions. The ability to communicate effectively is the most crucial skill for any human enterprise. 

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