The effectiveness of methods of communication (1)

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF METHODS OF

COMMUNICATION

KEY CONCEPT

• BARRIERS AND/OR ACTIONS CAN LIMIT COMMUNICATION, BUT ACTIVE LISTENING CAN ENHANCE COMMUNICATION.

KEY TERMS

• COMMUNICATION BARRIERS ARE ANYTHING THAT DISTORTS OR INTERRUPTS THE MESSAGE AND ITS MEANING.

• FILTERING OCCURS WHEN A SENDER MANIPULATES INFORMATION SO THE RECEIVER WILL SEE IT MORE FAVOURABLY.

• INFORMATION OVERLOAD IS AN EXCESS OF INFORMATION CAUSING THE READER TO BECOME OVERWHELMED AND CONFUSED.

• PERCEPTION IS THE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE SELECT, ORGANISE AND INTERPRET INFORMATION TO CREATE MEANING.

• ACTIVE LISTENING AIMS TO PRODUCE TRUST AND COOPERATION AND INVOLVES THE LISTENER REMAINING SILENT, BUT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE MOOD AND WORDS OF THE SPEAKER. THE ACTIVE LISTENER MAY LATER PARAPHRASE THE SPEAKER'S MESSAGE AND DESCRIBE THE SPEAKER'S MOOD.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORK PLACE

DID YOU KNOW?

• RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF WORKPLACE MISTAKES ARE THE RESULT OF INEFFICIENT (POOR) COMMUNICATION. IT IS ALSO THE MOST QUOTED CAUSE OF EMPLOYEE FRUSTRATION AND BUSINESS FAILURE.