Effective_Communication

Barriers to Effective Communication Barriers to Effective Communication Effective communication is a vital method in our daily lives. We should be able to converse efficiently with each other on a personal and business level. Breakdowns in the communication process can lead to misunderstandings, or a communication failure. In order to begin effective communication, one must recognize how the procedure works. The process of communication and its components It’s most basic form is two-way communication which involves a sender, the message and a receiver. The sender establishes the message; the receiver hears the message then decodes what the sender sent. There is a breakdown in communication if the planned communication was not encoded or decoded in a proper manner. The basic components of effective communications is LEARN which consists of listening, explaining, acknowledging, recommending, and negotiating. The person who is a part of a communication process must be a good listener. Listening is an important part and the person must listen with empathy for being able to have effective communication. This is the beginning step in the process of communication because when a person listens then the communication is meaningful and effective. Listening also forms the basic needs for the process to begin. An explanation is an important part of any communication. When an explanation of the problem is completed then the person will be able to understand the problem or problems completely. An explanation can also consist of thoughts or ideas which are relayed to the other person. Acknowledging the communication is pertinent because if the individual receiving does acknowledge the process of the communication whether it is verbal or non-verbal the communication will be pointless. Acknowledging what a person sends a signal that they are being listened to. If an individual is reading the morning news paper and does not acknowledge that another individual sat down at the table beside them then the presence of ignorance is present. After acknowledging what a person is questioning or saying there can be recommendations made by the listener regarding the statement or question. Recommendations can aid in helping an individual overcome a problem or assist with clarifying specific instructions. Negotiation of all issues require communication, there is no way around it. Negotiations are made between business partners, family members and other individuals. The process of communication is filled with negotiations in a variety of forms. Listening and Hearing Listening and hearing are two different things, and there is a large difference between the two. Many people pride themselves on listening or hearing what others have to say. If we are unaware that there is a difference between the two then we might miss out on important parts. We can hear all we want to, however we can hear what some say without actually listening to what they are saying. However people who can read body language and hear what is being said are blessed. These kinds of people rarely mistake the true intentions of the words others are saying. An example of actually hearing someone is “May I sit next to you'” and the response is “yes” then you heard the words the other individual said. Some people use body language and others can read the body language and ask if the person would like to sit down. Listening and hearing gives an individual an ability to help others. Listening and hearing go hand in hand, in order to hear the words a person is saying we have to listen to what an individual is saying. Just because we hear the word does not really mean anything, however listening to the words that are spoken is the key to being a part of someone else’s life. Relationships, meetings, negotiations, and many other forms of communication depend on listening and hearing in order for them to work. Formal and informal channels of communication In the criminal justice system there are three ways of communicating which are upward, horizontal, and downward. All actions of communication are a chain of command. Downward communications begins with a higher official, and flows down through the lines to where the information is going. Horizontal communication thrives in an organization especially when formal communication channels are not open. Horizontal communication is normally informal and consists of clichés such as the rumor mill or gossip. Although it is an essential part of the subsystem of criminal justice because they are to function in a efficient and synchronized manner. When horizontal communication is used it allows for emotional and social bonds to be built along with morale and feelings of teamwork among the employees. Upward communication is difficult because it is like a fish trying to swim upstream. There is physical distance between a boss and an employee which restricts the upward communication. Superiors are normally isolated and they are seldom spoken to or seen. There are many deterrents with upward communication because if an employee witnesses something that is bad they must report it to superior; they must go by chain of command instead of strictly going to the “main” boss. For example, if a deputy witness something bad that needs to be reported to the highest commander, the deputy must follow chain of command and report the incident to his or her supervisor or captain. Then the sergeant who then reports it to the lieutenant, the lieutenant then reports it to the captain who then reports it to the sheriff. Different Barriers to Effective Communication There are different barriers to effective communication which can create many problems within the criminal justice system. Effective communication begins with a clear message. If the message the receiver got is unclear then the receiver questions the whole message. For example, if the drug task force has plans to raid a home at six in the morning and the captain says “be here around five thirty” the force is not sure of the exact time the captain wants them there. Also the captain did not specify where they were to meet. The wording in the message is what causes the messages to be unclear. Another instance of a barrier is stereotyping because it causes others to characterize a person, group, or an event. Stereotyping is a barrier when it comes to communication because it causes people to act as though they already know what the message will contain. Language is also another barrier in communication because if the language of the sender is clear then the receiver may question what the sender is saying. If the language within the message is inappropriate then it can lead to misunderstanding. It is important to use correct language when sending a message to anyone. Another barrier in communication is lack of knowledge on a subject; if a person is writing a report and knows nothing about what they are writing then they are not able to convey the message clearly. Emotions can cause a barrier in communication, because if a person is engrossed in their own emotions for whatever reason then there will be issues related to listening and hearing. Emotions will cause someone to misunderstand what the message said. Stress is another form of a barrier because if a person is stressed then they can find it difficult to understand a message they received. This leads to the distortion of the whole message. Strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers Being mindful of your communication strengths and weaknesses can help you overcome communication barriers. Interacting with individuals from another culture can add magnitude to communication barriers. What is suitable in one culture is not always proper in another. When people are on the receiving end of a message they should remember to have an open mind. Seek understanding rather than employing judgment. Ask for clarification before jumping to conclusions, and acknowledging the other person’s feelings. Empathy can take a person a long way. Being on the speaking end, one must show responsibility for how others interpret things such as “this is what I perceive the situation to be”. Be assertive and say what is on your mind, but do it diplomatically. Be aware of the voice tone if speaking directly to an individual or a group. Another barrier breaker would be to ask the receiver or receivers if they understood what was said or if any clarification is needed, especially when speaking to an individual or a group. Conclusion Communication is the mainframe to every relationship, business transaction, and negotiation. In order for the communication process to work we must understand the process of it. After understanding the process, we must remove the barriers that prohibit us from sending clear messages to others. Once the barriers are removed then we are able to send messages to others in a clear, concise, effective manner. Resources Overcoming Language Barriers: Solutions for Law Enforcement (2007) retrieved from http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/ric/Publications/vera_translating_justice_final.pdf Learn- Learning the 5 components in the process of communication (2010) retrieved from http://www.saching.com/Article/LEARN---Learning-the-5-components-in-the-process-of-communication/5716 Barriers to Effective Communication retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/barriers-to-effective-communication.html Communication within a Criminal Justice Organization (2008) retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/646603/communication_within_a_criminal_justice.html'cat=17