To function effectively within the organization, the
supervisor also has to be able to effectively communicate
horizontally as well as vertically (see Figure 1). People in
organizations spend over three-quarters of their time in some
form of interpersonal situation. Poor communication skills carry
a great deal of liability. Employees and especially supervisors
who do not communicate effectively are at a disadvantage and do
not do thrive in organizations.
Figure 1: Communication Flow
Though we have been communicating with others from a very
early age, the process of transmitting information from one
person to another is complex. Research has found that there is
erosion of meaning in the neighborhood of 40–60 percent in the
transmission of information from one person to another. Given
the above, it is not surprising that a substantial number of
interpersonal issues, performance problems, and
misunderstandings have their roots in poor communication. So it
is critical to appreciate, understand, and be aware of the
potential barriers to effective communication.
The Basics
Language is a means and an important factor in our
communication. It is used to convey and exchange ideas and
meaning, to talk to people, and to express thoughts. It is the
vehicle that helps the people with whom we are trying to
communicate clearly understand the message being conveyed. The
choice of words or language used in the message will influence
the quality of communication. So the words used may have to be
chosen with the different recipients in mind. Are the words used
easy to understand by the recipient? Is the phrasing easy to
grasp? Is descriptive language used? Is the ultimate message
clear? By thinking about the end result—that is, what happens
once you finish speaking—you can choose the words you'll need
and decide how to use them to ensure that the desired outcome is
achieved.
Research has shown that listeners have to put together what
is being said with how it is being said in order to fully
understand what is being conveyed. Effective basic communication
has six elements: the sender, the receiver, the channel,
contextual factors, the message itself, and feedback (see Figure
2). For communication to be effective, the supervisor must
understand and manage the potential variables that may affect
these elements.
Figure 2: The Two-Way Communication Model
Sender: (source) the person trying to
communicate information, provide direction, establish
performance, give feedback, etc. How the supervisor communicates
affects the relationship with the workforce.
Receiver: (destination) the person receiving the
message and trying to understand it. The relationship the worker
has with the supervisor affects how that worker views the
information and reacts to it.
Channel: The communication channels can be
formal, informal, or unofficial; personal or impersonal; and
active or static. The communication method (or channel) selected
should depend on the type of message or its content. Before
choosing which method to use, consider whether the message is
interactive or static and whether it is best suited for personal
or impersonal transmission. Each of these impacts the quality of
the exchange.
- Interactive is a two-way communication. It allows for a
discussion (back and forth).
- Static is a one-way communication. The receiver cannot provide immediate feedback.
The question is whether the communication should be one-way or
two-way. What does your message require? You also need an
understanding of the potential challenges with which the
recipient may have to deal, what the recipient may need to be
able to effectively carry out the instructions, etc.
- Personal communication means a conversation, which needs to be
face to face or by phone.
- Impersonal communication is in some form of writing.
Does your communication require you to hear or see the other
person? Are you trying to build a relationship or improve
rapport? Will the tone of voice be important for this particular
message or case? Is the information or idea potentially
confusing to the recipient?
The communication channel becomes richest (see Figure 3) when
the human element is a part of the exchange.
Face-to-face or personal communication is one of the richest
channels of communication that can be used within an
organization. The physical presence, the tone of the speaker's
voice, gestures, posture, and facial expressions help the
recipient(s) of a message to interpret that message as the
speaker intends it. This is the best channel to use for complex
or emotionally charged messages, because it allows for
interaction between speaker and recipient(s) so as to clarify
ambiguity. A speaker can evaluate whether an audience has
received the message as intended, ask or answer follow-up
questions, and provide clarification as required. The more
complicated the message is, the richer the channel should be.
When the message is routine and easy to understand, a lean
channel is more appropriate.
Figure 3: Communication Channels
Message: The message is the information being
transmitted. The message can be verbal and/or nonverbal. To
reduce potential problems, the senders should use appropriate
words and a clear, straightforward structure; provide all the
necessary and relevant information so that it is easily
understood; etc. This requires the sender to have some idea of
the capabilities of the recipient to understand it and to have
the motivation to respond to it affirmatively.
Feedback: The only way the sender can determine
that the message was received and understood is to get some form
of confirmation from the receiver. This can be in the form of
acknowledgement, parroting, or paraphrasing. If there is some
misunderstanding or there are barriers to the receiver's ability
to respond affirmatively to the information in the message, the
sender needs feedback to identify the possible barriers
involved. This may require a few exchanges in order to resolve
the issue.
Context: The circumstances surrounding our
communication play a part in determining its success or failure.
Although many types of situations affect the messages we send,
one particular type that can easily distort our messages is
communication under stress. Stress, by its very nature, makes it
difficult for us to "think clearly." In a stressful situation,
the meaning of the message can be distorted; subtle shades of
meaning can be confused; pieces of information can be missed or
forgotten; minor points may seem more important than major ones.
In addition, the wording or structure of the communication may
suffer. Uncertainty, nervousness, and confusion can creep into
the speaker's voice, resulting in a less assertive statement.
Barriers to Communication
Successful communication involves getting the point across to
another person. Many barriers to communication exist in any
organization,
which detract from its effectiveness. This can be more
pervasive in the construction industry due to a number of unique
elements. These barriers can be environmental, situational, or
personal.
Physical barriers can prevent or hinder
individuals from engaging in effective communication. A host of
these barriers can be present in the general area and adversely
affect the exchange. They include closed doors, walled-in
offices, physical distance, and/or physical discomfort. The area
can be noisy or crowded. If the conversation occurs outdoors,
the weather conditions may have some form of impact as well.
Culture can have a significant impact on
communication. Organizational culture is created by the
leadership of the organization and can become ingrained into the
very fabric of the way things are communicated and business is
done on a day-to-day basis. Some organizational cultures are
open and supportive of input from employees and a two-way flow
of information. Other cultures are more top-down—where leaders
convey messages but don't seek input from staff or other
stakeholders. Some cultures create workplace climates that
impede people from expressing what they feel, which causes them
to say only what they think is expected of them. Organizational
leadership needs to be cognizant of what information needs to be
shared, when it should be shared, and what process should be
used to share information. When employees don't have all the
information, the "grapevine" is activated, usually to the
detriment of the organization.
Bias: Whether we recognize it or not, all people
suffer from various biases. These biases can interfere with
communication when we are sending or receiving messages. Biases
can be based on our preconceived beliefs or on impressions we
form about people as we interact with them. When communicating
with others, it's important to be aware of and to work at
overcoming these biases.
Misinterpretation occurs more often than not.
When interacting with others, we sometimes jump to conclusions
or misinterpret what is being said. As a result, our response to
the message may further impede the effectiveness of the
exchange. So it is important to ensure that the message is clear
and that the recipient understands it as we intended.
Role conflicts can create barriers to
communication in organizations. Regardless of how open managers
and senior leaders believe they are to employee input, employees
are often hesitant to share their honest insights, especially
when those insights may be perceived as critical of management.
This particular issue is more problematic for larger
organizations than smaller ones, since these tend to be less
formal and bureaucratic.
Other barriers deal with people's perceptions, emotions, and
attitude; a lack of communication skills; a lack of knowledge or
interest; inability to use language effectively; or the timing
of the message. Other factors may involve the selection of the
communication channel or the effectiveness of the technology.
Most barriers occur at the interfaces within the communication
process (see Figure 4). This may be caused by how the sender
structures the message or how the receiver interprets it. We do
not always effectively communicate what we are thinking or
intending to say. Communication failures arise when there is a
gap between what the sender meant and what the receiver thought
the sender meant.
Figure 4: Communication Barriers
Some examples of the causes of communication failure:
- Being so preoccupied that you don't listen to what others are
saying
- Being so sure of the importance of what you have to say that you
fail to listen, instead breaking in to voice your thoughts
- Assuming that you know what the other is going to say and
breaking in to voice your response
- Listening with a closed mind and therefore discounting the
content of the message
- Being so focused on the words that the emotional aspect of the
message is missed
- Discounting what is being said due to mistrust of the speaker
All of these barriers can be overcome by conscious effort.
Conclusion
Most people want to communicate effectively but may not have an
acute appreciation of the barriers involved. Because of a
multitude of potential barriers, there is ample opportunity for
something to go wrong in any communication. Douglas McGregor, an
expert in the field said, "It is a fairly safe generalization
that difficulties in communication within an organization are
more often than not, mere symptoms of underlying difficulties in
relationships between parties involved. When communication is
ineffective, one needs to look first at the nature of these
relationships rather than at ways of improving communication."
A supervisor is a critical link between management and the
workforce and, as such, must be a highly effective communicator.
To be successful, the supervisor must develop an awareness of
the potential barriers to communication and learn how to cope
with and effectively overcome them. The supervisor must also
appreciate the fact that the quality of the relationship between
the sender and receiver to a great extent determines the ability
of the person transmitting the message to overcome many of the
communication barriers. So the supervisor has to be not only an
effective communicator but also a relationship builder.