Secretarial Practice · Ch 9 — Business Communication Skills of a Secretary
Barriers to Effective Communication
5
Barriers to Effective Communication
5. Barriers to Effective Communication
A 'barrier' to communication is any factor that prevents a message from being received, or correctly understood, exactly as the sender intended. Barriers can arise at any stage of the communication cycle covered in Section 2.
Major categories of barriers:
- Semantic (Language) barriers. Arise from the words themselves — the use of unfamiliar technical jargon, ambiguous wording, poor translation, or words that carry different meanings for the sender and the receiver. Example: a memo full of unexplained technical/legal terms confuses staff unfamiliar with that vocabulary.
- Psychological barriers. Arise from the mental state of the sender or receiver — inattention, premature judgement, personal bias, distrust of the sender, or emotional stress, all of which can distort how a message is received even if it is clearly worded. Example: an employee who distrusts management may read hidden negative meaning into a neutral instruction.
- Organisational barriers. Arise from the structure of the organisation itself — too many levels of hierarchy that a message must pass through (each level risking some distortion), poorly defined communication policies, or information being deliberately withheld/filtered by a level in between. Example: an urgent shop-floor concern takes days to reach top management because it must pass through several intermediate levels.
- Physical/Mechanical barriers. Arise from the physical environment or equipment used — noise, distance, a poor telephone or internet connection, or faulty equipment. Example: a video-conference call breaking up due to a weak internet connection.
- Socio-cultural barriers. Arise from differences in social background, culture, customs, or status between sender and receiver, which can lead to a message being interpreted differently than intended. Example: a gesture considered polite in one region may be read as rude in another.
- Personal barriers. Arise from individual habits or attitudes — poor listening skills, a closed mind, or an unwillingness to give or accept feedback.
How to overcome these barriers:
| Barrier faced | Measure to overcome it |
|---|---|
| Semantic/Language | Use simple, clear, and precise language; avoid unnecessary jargon; define technical terms when they must be used |
| Psychological | Build trust between sender and receiver; approach communication with an open mind and without prejudging the message |
| Organisational | Reduce unnecessary levels in the communication chain; establish a clear, well-publicised communication policy |
| Physical/Mechanical | Choose a reliable medium and equipment suited to the message and the circumstances; reduce physical noise/distance where possible |
Definition 1Barrier to Communication
Any factor that prevents a message from being received, or correctly understood, exactly as the sender intended — semantic, psychological, organisational, physical, socio-c …
Definition 2Semantic Barrier
A barrier arising from the words used in a message — jargon, ambiguity, or words carrying different meanings for …