COMMUNICATION SKILLS

By metto gorett chepkirui.

BscN (in progress)
university of Kabianga
SECTION OBJECTIVES

By the end of this section, you should be able

to;
 Describe communication

 Explain the purpose of communication

 Discuss basic principles of communication

 Outline the forms of communication

COMMUNICATION

 def: is defined as the transfer of information from

one person to another person. It is a way of
reaching others by transmitting ideas, facts,
thoughts, feelings and values with a goal of
having the receiver understands the message as
it was intended.
 Effective communication provides a bridge of

meaning between two people so that they can

each share what they feel and know.
 Communication is what the receiver understands,

not what the sender says

COMMUNICATION AS A PROCESS
 Is a process in which people share
information, ideas, and feelings
 We use it to persuade, influence, inform,

share, discover and uncover information

 Involves not only spoken and written word

but also body language, personal

mannerisms and style-anything that adds
meaning to a message.
 It is vital in all areas of our lives
COMMUNICATION CYCLE
ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
 Information source: This is the origin
of the message where it’s produced
with an intention of passing the
message to one another. Information is
generated by an individual and there
must be a purpose for this.
 Transmitter and receptors: This is

the mode/equipment in which the

message is encoded into signals/sent.
Information can be sent verbally /non
verbally.
 Messages and Channel: Are the vehicles by
which information is communicated ,after
encoding message into signals, there must
be a media to which signals are adapted
for transmission. This could be verbal or
written, and the originator of the
information must have had a
predetermined knowledge on the channel
of passing the information.
 Receiver: This is the individual who is
intended to receive the information
generated and passed through a given
channel. He or she decodes the message
from the signal and attempts to
understand and comprehend the intended
objective of the message. It can also be
referred to as the destination where the
message is expected to arrive.
 Feedback: Communication is a cyclic process and
there must be feedback for its completion.
 Briefly, let’s look at feedback as an element of

communication.
Feedback in Communication
 Once the response or reaction of the
receiver to a message becomes known to
the sender, it becomes feedback.
 Through feedback, the source gets to know

if the communication sent has achieved its

objective.
It is necessary to let the sender know that the message was
(a) actually received,
(b) encoded,
(c) ascribed with the same meaning that the sender intended
Decoding, Meaning, and Encoding
 Decoding is the process of translating messages from

their symbolic form into interpretations that can be

understood.
 Meanings are the facts, ideas, feelings, reactions, or

thoughts that exist whitin individuals, and act as a set of

“filters” through which the decoded messages are
interpreted.
 Encoding is the process by which messages are put

into symbolic form

 Thusthe response or feedback acts as a
check on the communication flow.

 NOTE: In a communication process, a

person is both a receiver and a source.
 A good communicator is one who is

attentive to feedback and constantly

modifies the messages in the light of the
reaction of the audience to the message
ADVANTAGES OF COMMUNICATION
 Increase productivity
 Reduce stress

 enhances better understanding of what others

say
 Help in understanding how to get message across

 Enhance relationship

 Save time and money

 Raise awareness, meet information and reinforce

existing beliefs
 Entertainment
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
COMMUNICATION
 Communication is a two-way process of giving and
receiving information through any number of channels.
Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague,
addressing a conference or meeting, writing a
newsletter article or formal report,
 It is impossible to avoid communicating

 Communication is largely nonverbal

 Context affects communication

 Meanings are in people, not in words

CONT
 Communication is irreversible
 Noise affects communication
 Communication is circular
 Creating common goal is essential
 Communication has effects
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 People communicate with each other in a

number of ways that depend upon the

message and its context in which it is being
sent.
 Types of communication based on

communication channels used are;

a)Verbal communication
b) Non verbal communication
 a)Verbal communication
 Includes sounds, words, language and

speaking. Language is said to have

originated from sounds and gestures
 Basis at language formation are: gender,

class, profession, geographic area, age group

and other social elements.
 Speaking is an effective way of

communicating; divided into public speaking

and interpersonal speaking
 Divided into
a)Oral communication
b)Written communication
a)Oral communication
 In oral communication, spoken words are

used
 Includes face to face

 Conversations, speech, telephonic

conversation, video, radio, television, voice,

internet.
 Communication is influenced by pitch,

volume, speed, and clarity of speaking

Advantages
 It brings quick feedback

 In a face to face conversations, by reading

facial expression and body language, one can

guess whether he /she should trust what’s
being said or not.
Disadvantages
 User is unable to deeply think about what he

is delivering, so this can be counted as fault

b)Written communication
Written signs/symbols are used to communicate
Message can be transmitted via email, letter, report,
memo etc
Most common form of communication being used in
business
Advantages
 Message can be edited and revised

 Provide record and backup

 Enables receiver to fully understand and send

appropriate feedback
Disadvantages
 Doesn’t bring instant feedback

 It takes more time in composing a written message

as compared to word of mouth and number of

people struggle for writing ability.
Non verbal communication
 Sending /receiving of wordless, messages such

as gestures, body language, posture, tone of

voice/facial expressions.
 It is all about the body language of speaker

Elements of non verbal communication

Appearance
 Speaker-clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of

cosmetics
 Surrounding-room, size, lighting, decoration,

furnishings
Body language-facial expressions, gestures,
postures
Sounds-voice tone, volume, speech rate
a) Intrapersonal Communication
 Occurs within a person, occurs within us,

involves thoughts ,feelings, and the way we

look at ourselves.
 This takes place within the individual.

 Sender = Our relevant organ.

 Receiver = Our brain.

 Feed back by brain.

 interpersonal communication
 Communication at this level refers to the sharing of

information among people

 Interpersonal communication can be formal or informal.

 For e.g.. The interaction with family members , friends

and different kind of people.

 It depends upon variety of factors like , psychology of

two parties , relation between them.

3 stages
1.The Phatic Stage-The initial exploratory stage of
communication determines the course conversation will
take. It begins with a 'Hi!' or a 'Hello! How are you?
 The accompanying gestures are the meeting of the

eyes, a smile, perhaps a handshake, and moving in

closer to a talking distance.
2.The Personal Stage: It introduces a more personal
element into the conversation .
 we generally lower our social guard a little and are

prepared to take some risk in exposing ourselves and

our feelings.
 we are likely to talk about personal matters such as

one's profession, the family, health problems and the

like.
 Professional discussions rarely go beyond the personal

stage. Most business communication, therefore, takes

place at this level, for it does involve personal interests
and we are ready to go along to promote them.
3.The Intimate Stage: This stage is reserved
for friends and relatives, the degree of
intimacy depending upon the closeness of
the relationship. Some open up completely
while others are reluctant.
 Nevertheless, it is a stage when social

barriers fall and we are at ease; interpersonal

communication achieves its highest form in
this mode, and words seem inadequate
 Organizational communication
 Communication in an organization takes

place at different hierarchical levels.

 It can be divided into mainly two parts

 a)Internal-operational

All communication that occurs in organization

is classified as internal-operational...
 b) External-operational

Work related communication with people

outside the organization is called extra-
operational.
 personal
All communication in an organization without
purpose is called personal communication
 Group Communication-Group communication
shares all these qualities, though in a much less
measure. The larger the group the less personal
and intimate is the possibility of exchange.
 The degree of directness and intimacy, therefore,

depends upon the size of the group, the place

where it meets, as also the relationship of the
members of the group to one another, and to the
group leader.
 Formal Communication-Communications
which are routed through what have been
known as ‘official channels,’ for example, a
written memorandum from a managing
director to his / her departmental heads to
call a meeting.
 Informal Communication-Information is

passed on by word of mouth among

interested colleagues who have received it
from various sources e.g. visits.
 Diagonal Communication-There is no
obvious line of authority through which a
middle manager may want a service or job to
be done.

 Persuasive Communication-Information
given with the idea to change or alter:
an opinion, thought, idea, belief, conviction,
Principle ,ECT.
 Visual Communication-There's an old saying that "a
picture is worth a thousand words." Life would indeed
be difficult without paintings, photographs, diagrams,
charts, drawings, and graphic symbols. These are some of
the reasons why SHOWING is such an important form of
communication.

 Vertical
Communication-The principal channel for
routing directions, instructions and policies from top
decision makers down through the organization to
the people, who at various levels will implement
them.
 Public communication-a person sends a message to a
group of people
 Ethical communication -That is honest, fair, and

considerate of others rights

 Intercultural-Message sent to a group of people who

share a distinct set of norms,when two /more people

from different cultures interact
MASS COMMUNICATION

 A specialized academic discipline focuses on

the institutional practice and effects of
journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public
relationship and related mediated
communication directed at a
large ,undifferentiated or segmented
audience
 Communication through mass media like
books , journals , TV , newspapers etc..
 For this kind of communication we require a
mediator to transmit information.
 Characteristics
 Large reach

This communication reach audience

scattered over a wide geographical area.
 Impersonality

Largely impersonal as the participants are

unknown to each other.
 Presence of a gatekeeper

Mass communication needs additional

persons , institutions to convey message
from sender to receiver.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
 Advantages
 Fast
 Efficient
 Legible
 Improves communication, continuity of care
 Disadvantages
 Client confidentiality risk
 HIPPA
 Socioeconomics
CONT
 Do not use e-mail
 Urgent information
 Jeopardy to client’s health
 Highlyconfidential information
 Abnormal lab data
 Other guidelines
 Agency-specific standards and guidelines
 Part of medical record
 Consent, identify as confidential
FOUR TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS
 PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE COMMUNICATION
 PEOPLE-TO-MACHINE COMMUNICATION
 MACHINE-TO-PEOPLE COMMUNICATION
 MACHINE-TO-MACHINE COMMUNICATION
PEOPLE TO PEOPLE
 Everyone communicates with other people. Humans
have developed complex technological systems to
improve this
type of communication. Machines and devices have
been produced to help us communicate better and
easier.
 The five basic systems are:
 Telecommunication systems
 Audio and video recording systems
 Printing systems
 Photographic systems
 Drafting systems
 Each of these systems is in wide use today. Each has its
place and serves a specific purpose.
PEOPLE TO MACHINE
People communicate to machines daily. We
set controls which "tell" the machine how to
operate. We set the thermostat to
communicate the room temperature we want
to a heating/cooling system. We set a speed
control system in a car to communicate the
speed we want to travel.

Also, we write computer programs to tell the

computer what to do. We can tell it to print
letters, calculate costs, or perform hundreds
of other acts.
MACHINE TO PEOPLE
 Directly related to people-to-machine
communication is machine-to-people
communication. The machine we communicated to
through switches and dials responds. It will present
us with meter readings, flashing lights, or alarms.

 Pilots have many machine-to-people communication

systems on the aircraft flight deck. Lights tell them if
the engines are running properly. Alarms sound as
the plane approaches stall speed. Video screens
display the information gathered by the radar system.

 In our automobiles, gauges and lights are also used to

communicate. The fuel gauge tells the driver when to
buy more gasoline. The oil light warns the operator of
low oil pressure. A blue light tells the driver that the
headlights are on high-beam.
MACHINE TO MACHINE
 The most recent communication systems have
machines providing information to machines.
Computer-aided design (CAD) systems, help people
design parts. They do drafting. The system can then
direct machines to produce the part.

 Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) uses

computers to directly control machine operations.
The computer can direct the machine to run at
specific speeds. It can set material feed rates.
 It can cause the machine to change cutting tools. All
this occurs without human action. Even more
complex systems totally merge the design and
manufacturing activities. These systems are called
computer- integrated manufacturing (CIM). These are
but a few examples of machines communicating to
machine.
 MODES OF COMMUNICATION
MODES OF COMMUNICATION
 The various media for communication are: oral,
written, audio, visual and audiovisual.
a)Face to face
 Most common

 Includes casual conversation between 2/more

people and business meetings.

 Very easy communication skill that everyone has

experienced
 Requires no extra materials, taking it the cheapest

option for communication.

 Also instant and you get the benefit of visual cues

from person/ people to whom you are

communicating with
b)Video communication.
 Achieved by using web cameras to connect

two /more next best after face to face.

 Have more benefits

 However there is always possibility of bad

connections or other technical issues that hinder

the communication
C)audio communication
 A voice –only form of communication, such

as conversations on a telephone.
 It is a good instant communication tool

 It does not have the benefit of allowing you

to see the other person. It is more difficult to

include more than 2 parties
 d)Text communication
 Includes internet communication such as email

instant messaging and printed papers.

 Does not have the benefit of audio and video.

 It is much easier to distribute information to a

large group of people and save records of the

communication.
COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES

THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION
TECHNIQUES
There are two requirements for therapeutic
communication:
1. All communication must preserve the self-respect of
both individuals.
2. One should communicate understanding before
giving any suggestions or advice.
 Activities are carried out with the patient, not for the
patient.
Characteristics of therapeutic communication
 Patient should be the focus of interaction
 It involves listening to the patient non verbally- nodding, verbal
encouraging phrases
 Goal oriented- focus on patients needs
 Professional attitude-
 Psychological therapy
 Advance the physical and emotional well being of the patient
1.EMPATHY
 DEF: Is the ability to enter into the life of another
person, to accurately perceive the person's current
feelings and their meanings, and to communicate this
understanding to the patient
 Empathizing
 Empathy is process
 People feel with one another
 Embrace attitude of person who is speaking

 Grasp idea that what client has to say important

 NOT synonymous with sympathy

 Interprets clients feelings without inserting own
 Four phases of therapeutic empathizing
 Identification

 Incorporation

 Reverberation

 Detachment

 On guard against over-distancing or burnout

2. LISTENING
 Attentive listening
 Mindful listening
 Paying attention to verbal, nonverbal
 Noting congruence
 Absorbing content and feeling
 Listening for key themes
 Be aware of own biases
 Highly developed skill
BLOCKS TO ATTENTIVE LISTENING
 Rehearsing
 Being concerned with oneself

 Assuming

 Judging

 Identifying

 Getting off track

 Filtering
3. ATTENDING
 Physical attending
 Face the person squarely
 Adopt an open posture
 Lean toward the person
 Maintain good eye contact
 Try to be relatively relaxed
4. SILENCE
 Using silence
 Encouraging the client to communicate
 Allowing client time to ponder what has been
said
 Allow client time to collect thoughts
 Allow client time to consider alternatives
 Look interested
 Uncomfortable silence should be broken
 Analyzed
5. REFLECTION
Reflecting
all or part of the patient’s statement is
repeated to encourage him to go on
 Repeating the client’s message
 Verbal or nonverbal
 Reflecting content repeats client’s statement
 May be misused, overused
 Use judiciously

 Reflecting feelings
 Verbalizing implied feelings in client’s comment
 Encourages client to clarify
6.JUST THE FACTS
 Imparting information
 Supplying additional data
 Not constructive to withhold useful information
 Line between information and advice
 Avoid personal, social information
 Client participation in decision making  positive
mental health outcomes
 Take in and understand information
 Educated empowered client
7. DEFLECTION
 Avoiding self-disclosure
 Deflect a request for self-disclosure
 Honesty
 Benign curiosity

 Refocusing

 Interpretation

 Clarification

 Feedback and limit setting

 Assess and evaluate responses

8. CLARIFICATION
 Clarifying
 Attempt to understand client’s statement
 Ask client to give an example
 Paraphrasing
 Nurse assimilates or restates in own words
 Fives nurse opportunity to test understanding
 Checking perceptions
 Sharing how one person perceives another
9.BROAD OPENINGS
 Broad Openings: Broad openings, such as
"What are you thinking about?" "Can you tell
me more about that?" and "What shall we
discuss today?" encourage the patient to
select topics to discuss
10. RESTATING AND FOCUSING
 Restating: Restating is the nurse's
repeating of the main thought the patient
has expressed
 Focusing: Focusing helps the patient

expand on a topic of importance

11. SHARING PERCEPTIONS
 Sharing Perceptions: Sharing perceptions
involves asking the patient to verify the
nurse's understanding of what the patient is
thinking or feeling.
 Perception checking is a way to explore
incongruent or double-blind communication.
"You're smiling, but I sense that you're really
angry what happened."
12. THEME IDENTIFICATION
 Theme Identification: themes are
underlying issues or problems experienced
by the patient that emerge repeatedly during
the course of the nurse-patient relationship.
 They can relate to feelings (depression or

anxiety), behavior (rebelling against

authority or withdrawal), experiences (being
loved or hurt), or combinations of all three.
13. HUMOR
 Humor: Humor is a basic part of the
personality and has a place within the
therapeutic relationship. As a part of
interpersonal relationships, it is a
constructive coping behavior. By learning to
express humor, a patient may be able to
learn to express other feelings.
14. INFORMING
 Informing: informing or information giving,
is and essential nursing technique in which
the nurse shares simple facts or information
with the patient.
15. USING GENERAL LEADS
 Using General Leads During the conversation,
general leads, such as “yes” or simply the “uh hum”
will usually encourage the patient to continue. General
leads, like broad opening statements, leave the
direction of the conversation to the patient. They also
convey to him that the nurse is listening and that she
is interested in what he will say next. This can be
accomplished verbally or non-verbally, but nodding or
through facial expressions, which demonstrate
attentiveness and concern.
16. SHARING OBSERVATIONS

 Sharing Observations Here, the nurse

shares with the patient her observations
regarding behavior. The patient who has a
need is often unaware of the source of this
distress, or reluctant to communicate it
verbally. However, the tension or anxiety
created by his need creates energy which is
transformed into some kind of behavior, nail
biting,
17. SUGGESTING
 Suggesting: suggesting is the presentation
of alternative ideas, and is exploring
alternative coping mechanisms. Suggesting
or advice, also can be no therapeutic,
reinforces the patient's dependence.
 The nurse's intent in using the suggesting

technique should be to provide feasible

alternatives and allow patients to explore
their values in their unique life situation.
18. VOICING DOUBT
 Voicing Doubt Statements like the following
express uncertainty as to the reality of the
patient’s perceptions: “Isn’t that Unusual?”
“Really?” “That’s hard to believe.” Another
means of responding to distortions of reality
is to express doubt. Such expression permits
the patient to become aware that others do
not necessarily perceive events in the same
way or draw the same conclusions that he
does.
19. QUESTION AND DEFINE
 Questioning
 Very direct way of speaking with clients
 Open-ended questions focuses the topic
 Close question limits choice of responses
 Careful not to ask questions that steer answer
 Structuring
 Attempt to create order, establish guidelines
 Define parameters of nurse-client relationship
20. PINPOINT AND LINK
 Pinpointing
 Calls attention to certain kinds of statements
 Relationships
 Point to inconsistencies
 Similarities, differences
 Linking
 Nurse responds to client
 Ties together two events, experiences, feelings
 Connect past experiences with current behaviors
21. GIVING FEEDBACK
 Nurse share reaction to what client said
 Give in a way that does not threaten client

 Risk of client experiencing feedback

 Personal rejection
 Nurses should be open, receptive to cues
FOCUS FEEDBACK
 On behavior, observations, description
 On more-or-less, rather than either/or

 On here-and-now: what is said, not why

 Sharing of information, ideas

 Exploration of alternatives

 Value to client

 Amount of information client able to use

 Appropriate time and place

21. CONFRONTING
 Deliberate invitation to examine some aspect
of personal behavior that indicates
discrepancy between actions and words
 Informational confrontation
 Describes visible behavior
 Interpretive confrontation
 Draws inferences about the meaning of behavior
SIX SKILLS IN CONFRONTING
 Use of personal statements
 Use of relationship statements
 Use of behavior descriptions
 Use of description of personal feelings
 Use of responses aimed at understanding
 Use of constructive feedback skills
SUMMARIZE AND PROCESS
 Summarizing
 Highlighting the main ideas expressed
 Conveys understanding
 Reviews main themes of conversation
 Use at different times during interaction
 Don’t rush to summarize
 Processing
 Direct attention to interpersonal dynamics
THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION
MISTAKES
 This are the non therapeutic communication, they are
referred as the common communication mistakes
 Giving advice
 Minimizing or discounting feelings
 Deflecting
 Interrogating
 Sparring
 Changing the Subject Patient
 Giving Literal Response Patient:
 Challenging
 Making Stereotyped Comments
 Defending
 Disagreeing with the Patient
 Automatic responses that reflect poor nursing responses
 Passive or aggressive responses
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
 Failure to listen
 Improperly decoding intended message

 Placing the nurse’s needs above client’s

THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP
 Growth-facilitating process
 Help client manage problems in living
 More effectively
 Develop unused, underused opportunities fully

 Help client become better at helping self

 May develop over weeks or within minutes
 Influenced by nurse and client
 Personal and professional characteristics
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP PHASES
 Pre-interaction
 Introductory

 Working: stage 1 and stage 2

 Termination
INTRODUCTORY PHASE
 Pre-interaction phase
 Introductory phase
 Orientation, pre-therapeutic phase
 Nurse and client observe each other
 Open relationship
 Clarify problem
 Structure and formulate contract
 Client may display resistive behaviors
INTRODUCTORY PHASE, CONTINUED
 By end of this phase client begins to
 Develop trust in nurse
 View nurse as honest, open, concerned
 Believe nurse will try to understand, respect
 Believe nurse will respect client confidentiality
 Feel comfortable talking about feelings
 Understand purpose of relationship, roles
 Feel an active participant in plan
WORKING PHASE STAGES
 Stage One
 Exploring and understanding thoughts and
feelings
 Empathetic listening and responding
 Respect, genuineness
 Concreteness
 Reflecting, paraphrasing, clarifying, confronting
 Intensity of interaction increases
CONTINUED
 Stage two
 Facilitateand take action
 Collaborate
 Make decisions
 Provide support
 Offer options
TERMINATION PHASE
 Difficult, ambivalent
 Summarizing

 Termination discussions

 Allow time for client adjustment to

independence
DEVELOPING THE THERAPEUTIC
RELATIONSHIP
 Set mutual goals with client
 Discuss outcomes

 Many ways of helping do not require training

SKILLS FOR THE THERAPEUTIC
RELATIONSHIP
 Listen actively
 Help identify the client’s feelings

 Be empathetic, honest, genuine, and credible

 Use ingenuity

 Be aware of cultural differences

 Maintain confidentiality

 Know your role and your limitations

CONCLUSION
 Nurse’s role requires communication skills
 Effective communication large role
 Ability to deliver highest quality of care
 Nurse needs to be understood
 Nurse needs to understand messages

 Strong verbal, written communication skills

 Monitor own nonverbal communication

 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
 Def: are any obstacles or difficulties that come in the way of
communication
1.Physical Barriers
 Four main kinds of distractions act as 'physical barriers' to
the communication process, these are:-
 The Competing Stimulus: This is in the form of another
conversation going on within hearing distance, or loud
music or traffic noise in the background, for example, the
cawing of crows or a plane passing overhead.
 Environmental Stress: A high temperature and
humidity, poor ventilation, vibrations felt, a strong
glare - all can contribute to distortions in the sending
and receiving of messages.
 Subjective Stress: Sleeplessness, ill health, the
effects of drugs and mood variations give rise to forms
of subjective stress that often lead to great difficulties
in listening and interpretation.
 Ignorance of the Medium: The various media for
communication are: oral, written, audio, visual and
audiovisual. The use of a medium with which the
communicators are not familiar would turn the
medium itself into a barrier.
2.Psychological Barriers
 Each of us has a certain 'frame of reference', a kind of
window through which we look out at the world, at
people, events and situations. No two individuals
possess exactly similar frames of reference, even if
they should be identical twins. To a large extent our
frames of reference are influenced by our
experiences, particularly our childhood experiences,
and the cultural environment we have grown up in.
Heredity too has a great influence.
3.Self Image
 Tied up with the term 'frame of reference' is the term
'self-image' or 'self-concept', the way an individual
looks at himself, or the picture he has of himself. It is
this 'self-image' that makes us always defends our
point of view, to interpret messages in the way we
wish to interpret them, and to see 'reality' according
to our own pre-conceived notions.
4.Resistance to Change
we resist change in any form except where we are convinced it is to our
benefit, new ideas that do not support our own views are resisted outright.
In fact, most of the time we do not actually hear views which conflict with
our own. But we hear with rapt attention any communication that reinforces
our beliefs, and our self image.
 The effective communicator, therefore, does not wait till resistance builds
up against an intended change or innovation, but takes the people into
confidence even at the planning stage. Instead of springing a surprise on
them, he listens to their point of view with respect, involves them in the
change; talks to them about the benefits the change will bring; assures them
their security will not be affected; and explains the reasons why the change
is necessary.
.
5.Defensiveness and Fear
 One of man's most compelling needs is to justify
himself. Even when we are convinced we are wrong,
few of us admit it, as it means a loss of face. More
often than not, therefore, we tend to 'rationalize'
(explain away) the mistakes we make, the attitudes
and opinions we hold so dear.
 It also gives rise to slow and narrow thinking which
selects and distorts communication
6.Linguistic and Cultural Barriers
 A language is the expression of the thoughts and experiences of a people in
terms of their cultural environment
 Each language shapes the reasoning of its speakers. Indeed, no human is
free to describe nature with strict objectivity;
 language has to cross not only cultural: amid generation gaps, but political
and social gaps as well.
7.Language and Meaning
 Language facilitates understanding, but there are times when it can
be a barrier to communication. In the first place, a language
(whether verbal or non-verbal) is ambiguous by nature. The words
of language, for instance, are mere symbols, and by themselves
rarely represent only one meaning. Further, these symbols are
understood differently by participants in communication. And words
(or symbols) possess objective and subjective meanings.

 The favorable and unfavorable associations of a word depend upon

the cultural context in which it is used
 Meanings, therefore, exist not in words themselves but in the minds
of people who use them. Even simple words like 'love', 'freedom',
'happiness' and 'tragedy' carry numerous associations depending
upon the political and cultural situations people find themselves a
part of.
9.Mechanical Barriers
 This are barriers raised by the channels employed

for interpersonal, group or mass communication.

Channels become barriers when the message is
interfered with by some disturbance, which
increase the difficulty in reception or prevent
some elements of the message reaching its
destination or both.
 The absence of communication facilities too would

be a mechanical barrier
 Technically, such barriers are clubbed together as

one general term 'channel noise'.

HOW TO OVERCOME
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS