Communicating Effectively: 5 Impediments to Communication

We are constantly sending messages to one another. Every time that we speak, write, or type, we are submitting a 'message' for another person to process. The goal is for the recipient to thoroughly comprehend the contents of our message. This process of comprehension is referred to as receiving. However, to ensure that our messages are received correctly, we must take into consideration the impediments to communication. These include:

Unfamiliar Language

As is expected, people who speak different languages tend to have difficulty communicating with one another. However, the same concept can also apply to people who speak the same language, but speak with a different dialect. If a Southern man, for instance, strolls into a Northern bakery and asks for a 'hoecake,' he may inadvertently offend the cashier. To the Southern man, 'hoecake' is slang for a small cornmeal cake. To the cashier, it my mean something entirely different.

Bad Timing

Sometimes, the recipient isn't ready to receive the message. They may be focused on other issues or simply unconcerned with the conversation. If you, for example, are really upset over a breakup, you may have difficulty paying attention at a corporate board meeting. It is a fact that anger and frustration tend to hinder our ability to listen and focus.

At other times, the recipient may simply be too busy with other activities to listen attentively. If you, for instance, are listening to your Mother tell you something on the phone and your roommate suddenly pops into the room and starts yelling at you, you may lose track of what your Mother is saying.

Attitude

If the recipient has a really bad attitude towards the sender or the subject-matter, the message may be entirely missed or ignored. If a vegetarian, for example, tries to persuade a passionate meat-lover to switch lifestyles, the meat-lover may become angry and start ignoring the vegetarian. He is comfortable with his lifestyle and doesn't particularly appreciate the vegetarian butting into his life.

Differences

Differences in people such as age, experiences, gender, intelligence, race, and religion can also affect how your message is received. If an elderly gentleman, for instance, insists to his grandchild that conventional music isn't real music, the youthful teen may just laugh and disregard the message. The teen thinks, "He is too old to know any better."

Relationships

When a relationship exists between the sender and the recipient, communication may also be inhibited. If a top-level executive, for example, is trying to show a nervous low-level employee how to properly do his job, the youngbuck may be too fearful and worried to really listen. Instead of trying to learn, he is more focused on acting appropriately in front of his superior.

Conclusion

To ensure that your message is received properly, you must take all the impediments to communication into consideration. By speaking in understood terminology, choosing the correct time to speak, and making adjustments based on attitude, differences, and relationships, you can improve the chances that the recipient will thoroughly comprehend what you are trying to say.