You know when you’re telling a joke, and you get to the punch line, and one laughs. In fact, people don’t even realize you got to the punch line. All eyes are on you, and you’re starting to tweak just a little bit. 

Trying to remain cool and calm, you say “get it, guys, get it?”

Someone finally breaks the silence, saying “Uh, was that a joke or…”

At that moment you feel like a deer in headlights. Totally exposed. Completely embarrassed. 

Then your inner voice screams out “I told you no one was gonna get it.”

The struggle is real. So let’s swerve that situation as best we can.

Let’s talk about Barriers to Communication.

Ready to get started?

Today we’re talking about common communication barriers. I have a lot to say on this topic, so we’ll break it into two videos.

How often do you say something to someone, only to get a blank stare or confused look?

If we are communicating but our message is not received, it is probably due to one of the ten communication barriers I’m going to share with you in this two-part series.

Why is this such an important topic, you ask?

Studies show that social interaction and community really make us happier. It’s something to invest in for our future. In an age now where most communication happens over text, email, Instagram…let’s not lose touch with our humanity.

A great way to do that is to minimize the possibility of being misunderstood or misinterpreted.

If we are cognizant of the potential roadblocks to clear communication, we’ll lower the risk of people not picking up what we’re putting down.

Even better, if you are on the receiving end and don’t understand what the other person is saying, knowing these barriers might enable you to help them out and reach an understanding

Convinced now?

Ok, on to breaking down these barriers:

Inaccessible word choice

People loooove to use jargon and acronyms. They think it makes them feel smart. It can also hide the fact that they themselves have no idea what they’re talking about.

Whatever the case, it almost never promotes clear communication. In fact, it can even alienate your listener and cause them to feel inadequate. You don’t want that.

Solution: know your audience. Are you speaking to a fellow med school student? In that case, you are A-ok to use words like “hyperphagia” and “peristalsis”. Otherwise, use the words you know they know. And if you’re using an acronym, make sure you explain what it stands for after you use it.

Use accessible language. I promise they’ll still think you’re smart, and even better, they’ll actually understand what you’re saying! 

Missing context

Sometimes, even when you use accessible language, you may still get a confused look.

That might be because they simply don’t have sufficient context for what you are saying.

Many times, this comes down to cultural context. Some concepts are very specific to a certain age group, or a specific TV show. If I said to my grandmother, “my video just went viral!”, she’d understand the words I used, but wouldn’t have any idea what I meant.

The same goes for cultural differences between countries, languages, and social groups.

Solution: It can be a little harder to spot context-based communication barriers, mostly because we ourselves are not aware of when we are discussing culture-specific concepts.

A good rule of thumb is that if the person you are speaking to is of a different age, from a different country, or has a very different background, you should be on high alert for context-specific language. If they don’t seem to understand what you are saying, consider providing a bit more explanation (or scaffolding) for the concept you are trying to convey.

Your goal as a communicator is to transmit your message as effortlessly and smoothly as possible. So don’t be afraid to pause, rewind, and define cultural terms when necessary. 

Nonverbal cues

This one is about being sensitive to the listener’s emotions. Whether or not they say anything to you, remember, they are still communicating something. 

The key to this one is to understand that we are always communicating, whether or not we are speaking. That means when you are saying something to someone else, they are actually responding to you even while you are speaking, mainly through body language. If you don’t pick up on this nonverbal communication, you may not realize when they are confused or upset.

So what’s the solution: Make sure that while you are speaking, you remain attuned to your listener’s nonverbals. Are they crossing their arms? Raising their eyebrows? Smiling or scowling?

Use that nonverbal communication to help frame the way you are speaking. If they are nodding and leaning in, they are probably following you. If they are frowning, or aren’t reacting at all, there’s a good chance they don’t understand you, so that’s a good time to pause and check for comprehension. 

And that brings me to our next communication barrier…

Not Listening

Good communication is predicated on good listening skills. Meaning, you will not be an effective communicator if you are lacking listening skills.

Think of it this way.                

If you are engaged in conversation with someone and all they do is hog the floor to the point where you can’t even get a word in edgewise… is that fun for you? No way!

A conversation is a two-way street. It’s bidirectional. It’s a back and forth of sharing and listening.

If you’re not listening, then you are not hearing the message.  For the message to get transmitted to you, you must open your ears.

So what’s the solution: Make a point of really listening. This will help you understand what interests them, what they aren’t getting, and how to better convey the point you are trying to make.

Even better, when they see that you are listening to them, they in turn feel more willing to listen to you!

Speaking too fast

This one seems obvious. Whenyouspeakreallyfastit’shardtounderstand! But you’d be surprised how many people don’t pay attention to how fast they are speaking. Particularly when they are nervous or flustered.

Solution: This one is simple. Slow. It. Down. That can be easier said than done though. Because when we speak, we don’t really notice how fast we’re speaking. After all, we already know what we’re going to say.

You can train yourself to speak slower though. One way is to record yourself and play it back. How does it sound? Try adding a half-second pause after every sentence. Or if you really want to challenge yourself, try pausing after every word, just to get the feel for slower speech.

Speaking slowly helps people better understand you, but it also comes with a few extra advantages, such as giving you more time to frame your thoughts before you say them, and also projecting more authority to your audience. So give it a shot.

Phew, first five communication barriers down. Let’s recap:

• Inaccessible word choice -- try using simpler language
• Missing context -- make sure the listener has the right frame of reference
• Nonverbal cues -- don’t forget to pay attention to body language
• Not listening – remember, a conversation is a two-way street, so if you’re not listening, you’re not communicating
• Speaking too fast – Don't rush, slow it down and drive home your point with purpose

So that covers the first five barriers to communication. But, believe it or not, there’re even more! Make sure to tune in next week for the next five barriers. The last one can be particularly dangerous and unfortunately, it’s become all too common.

But for now, Add these strategies to your communication toolkit, try them out and make them your own!

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I’ll see you in my next lesson! 😊

Happy Explearning!

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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