meanings to the sames words, this can cause a barrier to effective communication by causing the message that is being sent to differ from the message that is being received. Causes of this barrier may be the use of technical jargon or complicated sentence structure. It may also include the overuse of metaphors (especially when communicating with a non-native English speaker).

Misreading non-verbal cues -

Non-verbal communication including body language, facial expressions, posture and voice inflections constitute 93% of communication. If these non-verbal cues are misinterpreted or missing (as in the case of written communication), this can cause a message differ from what the sender intended.

Perceptual biases -

Biases toward the person sending (or receiving) a message may cause the message to be misunderstood. Biases may also be present if the sender or receiver has negative feelings toward the subject being discussed. For example, when a salesperson must promote a product that they do not truly believe to be beneficial. Perceptual biases based on the person and/or subject can cause a message to be false or insincere and will inadvertently cause a breakdown in communication.

Cultural differences -

If the sender and receiver come from two different cultures, there may be an invisible barrier to overcome. This barrier may be caused by differing perceptions in how business should be conducted, what is considered personal space, and/or the understanding of the language being spoken.

Inappropriate use of means of communication -

The misuse of communication formats may cause a barrier in communication. For example, if a manager must fire an employee and chooses to send them an e-mail instead of speaking to them face to face; or when a director calls a meeting of department heads when a memo would have been sufficient.

Poor listening skills -

This is perhaps the most common and problematic barrier to effective communication. Poor listening skills include not fully listening to the message and preparing your response before the entire message has been delivered, among others.

Lack of feedback -

Communication, especially in business, needs to be two-way. If the receiver does not provide feedback to the sender, there may be a breakdown in communication. The message may have not been received, as in the case of a letter or e-mail, or it may not have been understood (The Importance of Effective Communication).

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

The aforementioned

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