Barriers to Effective Communication

Organizational Communication and also communication in social life is hampered because of a number of barriers. These barriers create distortions, misunderstandings and problems. These barriers are:

1. Physical barriers like noise, time and distance.
2. Semantic barriers (Science of Words). For example, wrong interpretation of words or grammatical errors.
3. Wrong medium of communication.
4. Psychological barriers like closed mind, status consciousness, attitudes, ego, values, etc.
5. Barriers resulting from inattentiveness, faulty transmission or poor retention.
6. Barriers due to information gaps or due to lack of information.
7. Barriers resulting out of difference in perceptions, outlook and approach.
8. Barriers resulting from illiteracy, ignorance, superstition in a country.

Lack of Communication leads to:

1. Information gap
2. Alienation
3. Problems in relationship
4. Misunderstandings
5. Crisis situations
6. Deviation from performance
7. Emergence of organizational conflicts
8. Loss of trust and confidence
9. Birth of organizational conflicts
10. Disintegration