Name
QHT1 Task 4
9/6/2015

As a manager of a business it is important to know how to overcome the communication barriers. I will list the four key types of communication barriers and how to avoid them so a company can run more productively. The four categories are process barriers, personal barriers, physical barriers, and semantic barriers.
Process barriers are having an issue of communication between the sender and the receiver. An issue occurs when the message has too much information and it’s confusing, having a fear of criticism or language differences. To tackle this problem, as a manager I would apply such methods as explaining my message I send to make sure the receiver understands it, or just set up meetings or conduct one on one conversations to communicate messages.
Personal barriers are the real or imagined deterrents between you and the success you want to achieve. The best way to overcome personal barriers is to identify what keeps you from achieving your goals, and then take steps to remove those barriers and focus on the positives. It’s also important to not overstep privacy boundaries of others. (Barriers to Effective Communication)
Physical barriers can prevent people from having effective communication The environment can have an effect on it, such as not be able to communicate clearly because of weather conditions, or being in an area where it’s too noisy and crowded it can be hard to hear what the other person is saying. Important work related conversations should be done in a quiet area where there aren’t distractions around. Distance also plays a role in physical barriers, if you are located far away from an employee, you will have to rely on phone or email to talk instead of in person where it can be more personal. During phone calls or email try to talk about all the important topics and make sure the receiver understands the message you are trying to send. (Physical Barriers in Communication)
Semantic barriers are the connotative and denotative meanings of words. Every word has a direct meaning called the denotative meaning. In addition to its exact or lexical meaning, words also acquire implied meanings called connotative meanings. Connotations are understood based on an individual’s experience. If the encoder and decoder do not share the some connotative meaning for a word, miscommunication occurs. To overcome this barrier, the communicator should choose the precise and exact word that will have the same meaning for the receiver in the given context so there isn’t confusion. While formulating the message it should be seen that the message should be complete and it should cover all the aspects of the purpose. (Communication Theory)