Six barriers to effective communication
Six barriers to effective communication
The way we communicate affects our ability to get along with other people. We can fall into common traps which prevent us from communicating effectively. Read about these six barriers to communication and think about whether you allow them to block your communication with other people.
1. Non-listening
Are you really listening, or just waiting to talk? Active listening involves helping the other person to speak by using attentive body language and encouraging words. You can show you are paying attention by appropriate eye contact, keeping silent at times and paraphrasing – using your own words to summarise what the other person has said.
2. Monopolising
‘Monopolising’ involves taking over the conversation, making it all about ourselves, and providing the other person with little or no chance to speak. Pay attention to the amount of talking that you do in your conversations with others and try to keep an even balance. If you find yourself talking to someone else who is monopolising the conversation, gently say something like, “Hang on, that’s a very interesting point you just made, I’d just like to comment on that”.
3. Interrupting
Interrupting others while they are talking is a bad habit to get into and can be a difficult one to break. Sometimes we interrupt when we feel we just can’t wait until the other person has finished speaking. When you are speaking to someone and feel the sudden urge to interrupt them, practise taking a slow, deep breath. Make a mental note of what you would like to add to the conversation, and refocus on what the person is saying.
4. Distractions
Allowing yourself to become distracted – by the phone, TV, internet or other conversations – demonstrates to the person you are talking to that you are not fully focused on them. Put your phone on silent and have your discussion in a place away from things that are likely to distract you and interrupt the flow of the conversation.
5.
The way we communicate affects our ability to get along with other people. We can fall into common traps which prevent us from communicating effectively. Read about these six barriers to communication and think about whether you allow them to block your communication with other people.
1. Non-listening
Are you really listening, or just waiting to talk? Active listening involves helping the other person to speak by using attentive body language and encouraging words. You can show you are paying attention by appropriate eye contact, keeping silent at times and paraphrasing – using your own words to summarise what the other person has said.
2. Monopolising
‘Monopolising’ involves taking over the conversation, making it all about ourselves, and providing the other person with little or no chance to speak. Pay attention to the amount of talking that you do in your conversations with others and try to keep an even balance. If you find yourself talking to someone else who is monopolising the conversation, gently say something like, “Hang on, that’s a very interesting point you just made, I’d just like to comment on that”.
3. Interrupting
Interrupting others while they are talking is a bad habit to get into and can be a difficult one to break. Sometimes we interrupt when we feel we just can’t wait until the other person has finished speaking. When you are speaking to someone and feel the sudden urge to interrupt them, practise taking a slow, deep breath. Make a mental note of what you would like to add to the conversation, and refocus on what the person is saying.
4. Distractions
Allowing yourself to become distracted – by the phone, TV, internet or other conversations – demonstrates to the person you are talking to that you are not fully focused on them. Put your phone on silent and have your discussion in a place away from things that are likely to distract you and interrupt the flow of the conversation.
5.