5 Ways to Avoid Communication Barriers in any Environment

What are the barriers to effective communication? What causes communication breakdown?  And how do we avoid these communication barriers?
Well, there are a number of factors which cause a host of problems in any environment, whether it's at home, at work, out in a club or somewhere else...



They include the following:

• Failing to understand what other people are trying to say
• Trying to say too much at once
• A lack of confidence or shyness
• Emotionally-driven dialogue
• Technology-driven misunderstandings in communication

There are so many different styles of communication out there, but they often clash with each other. It could be cultural, psychological, or personal barriers that cause breakdown. Or it could simply be that strong communication skills aren't something that come naturally to many people.

This rule of communication is especially important when you’re conducting an interview. If you’re asking questions and looking for a specific answer, you’re likely not hearing what the person is saying. In searching for a few key words, you might miss a crucial thought or reply that tells you something about the candidate that makes or breaks the interview.  To combat this, come up with a few essential and inclusive questions (for suggestions, see this article by Obsidi®), and then listen to the replies you receive. They may tell you more than you expected to hear!

It can sometimes feel like some communication barriers are too difficult to avoid, with breakdown creating a number of problems, and slowing down people's progress and effectiveness.

We can tell you that there are many possible solutions that can help you to avoid, and even overcome, many of these issues.

So in this article, we'll go through some of the most common communication barriers that people face, and then describe five ways you can reduce them so you get much more effective outcomes.

The Barriers to Communication

Well, the key is to dismantle any barriers that exist. So we've pulled together a list of some of the most common communication barriers that you're most likely to see in any environment.
And although you may encounter others, there's often common ground with many of them.

1. Failing to understand what other people are trying to say

Sometimes people can be too focused on their own personal agenda during a discussion. If you do this, you can spend too much time putting together your own response while others are speaking, without actually listening to them.

Inevitably, this means you're unlikely to understand the point that other people are trying to make, because you're too preoccupied with the thoughts in your head...

2. Trying to say too much at once

Avoid having a lot of different things on your mind when communicating.
In this situation you may sometimes feel the need to just get it out there as soon as you get the chance to speak.

But if you do this, you risk overloading those around you with too much information ... and inevitably confusing them ... which isn't exactly effective.

3. A lack of confidence or shyness

This can be the biggest barrier to effective communication!
If you're not a naturally confident or assertive person, you may find yourself struggling to become a strong communicator.

Any lack of self confidence causes you to question your own opinions. You may then avoid delivering them with real conviction. In fact, a lack of confidence can cause many people to retreat into their shell and hardly communicate at all. It goes without saying that no matter how shy you may be, you need to avoid this "easy option" at all costs!

4. Emotionally-driven dialog

When having an exchange with someone, especially in the workplace, it's best to avoid having too much emotion in the conversation, or it can lead to problems.

Feeling strongly about something is not a bad thing, but you may let it impact how you communicate, if you don't keep proper control of your emotions. Ask yourself: do you want to be effective, or just let off steam?

5. Technology-driven misunderstandings

Most of us use email and messaging services to communicate -- whether now and again, or all the time.  And we often don't appreciate just how easy it is to misconstrue someone's tone or point if you can't see or hear them in person.

Even a telephone - which is pretty basic technology by today's standards - can be a barrier, because it removes your ability to give and receive the visual feedback that often underpins a message.



So now let's look at how to work around each one.

5 Ways to Avoid Barriers That Cause Communication Breakdown

1.  Think clearly before speaking out

Before you try to get your point across to others, make sure you're very clear about the message you're hoping to communicate.

Arranging your thoughts before verbalizing them will help you communicate much more clearly and succinctly.
And you're much more likely to be effective if you stay on point, which will make your listeners much less likely to be left bored (or even confused) by what you say.

If you have several things you need to say, it's a good idea to start by saying something like, "I've got a few ideas here. Let me go through them one at a time. We can treat each one on its own merit."
Then, you can give the first one, and discuss it, before moving on to the next.

If you're unsure whether your point has gone across as you intended, try asking your audience whether what you've said is clear. This is much better than giving a whole lot of points at once, then ask for questions at the end.  In which case you're likely to get questions from all over the place ... or maybe none at all!

2. Ask questions ... and listen to the answers!

As simple as it sounds, you'll be surprised just how many people genuinely don't realize how important it is to ask questions ... and listen to the answers. Properly listen, that is...
This leads to a failure to understand the people you're trying to communicate with, and creates barriers due to misunderstandings and breakdowns.

Communication is a two-way street. So don't think that the point of a conversation is to "get your point across", because you won't understand the other person's point of view (that's if you don't turn them off altogether).
If you're interested, we have a course on Questioning Skills & Active Listening which lays out very simply how to get the most from interactions.

Oh yes: if you don't understand the point someone is trying to make, don't be afraid to ask them to repeat it, or explain it further ... in a polite manner, of course!

3. Take care of your body language and tone

Often, when people think of improving their communication skills, they tend to focus on verbal communication. Which is, of course, a good thing to do.
But non-verbal communication - things like your tone of voice and body language - is equally important. In fact, in many people's estimation, it's more important!

For example, you may be unintentionally coming across as hostile or emotional through your body language or facial expressions.  If you are, this can cause misunderstandings or cause others not to want to engage with you.
It would be a shame there's a breakdown in your carefully worded argument because you've sat slumped forward, reading your notes without lifting your voice.  And don't dismiss this: it happens!

So when you're communicating with others, make a big effort to adopt a relaxed posture and tone, avoid defensive barriers like folding your arms, maintain an adequate level of eye contact ... and keep your emotions in check!

Check out our other article on styles of communication for more ideas on the subject.

4. Build up your confidence by asking for feedback and observing others

If a lack of confidence is creating a personal communication barrier, then you may need to think about using different tactics to improve your skills, so you can start to feel more confident.

Focus on improving your skills by practicing on your own (say in front of a mirror) then in front of people who you feel comfortable with - like family and close friends.

You can also ask people whose advice you value to give you feedback and critique your communication style after a discussion. Just working on improving your communication skills and practicing what you learn will make you feel more confident, and be effective, over time.

And, of course, although this sounds like a mountain you need to climb, there are actually simple ways to improve social skills that will boost your confidence by making you a much more appealing person to be with!  Don't be cynical -- or  even intimidated -- by this idea: it's easier than you think!

5. Communicate face to face on important issues

As tempting as it can be just send an email or ping a text message, try not to do this for more important or personal matters.

Having a face-to-face dialog means you can convey your point more clearly, with your body language as well as your tone of voice.
It can also help to clear up breakdowns due to misunderstandings or distortion of the message that can occur through other mediums.

Besides, can you see your spouse or partner being happy with deciding which college your child goes to by text? Some things just need to be done face to face, if only to show how important they are, and how seriously you're taking them.

Round-Up

So there we are: a brief description of barriers to effective communication and  ways to avoid breakdown. Hopefully, this article will help you understand and avoid potential communication barriers in the future.

Remember, becoming a strong and effective communicator takes time and practice. And we've developed a free communication skills test that has helped thousands of people to assess their communication style over the years, and be given ways they can improve.  You could try it, even just for fun.  It could be very useful!

As you move through your life, improving your communication skills will lead to better and more productive outcomes in your personal and workplace relationships.
And that's not such a bad thing, is it?