Barriers to Effective Communication
1. Mind Reading. Assuming you know what someone else means, often before they complete their statement.
2. Physical: Objects or distractions get in the way.
3. Rehearsing. Focusing on what you will say next (instead of listening).
4. Non-verbals: When your words and nonverbal signals are inconsistent.
5. Distraction/Daydreaming. Focusing on things outside the conversation.
6. Judging. Making judgements about what is being said or about the speaker.
7. Filtering. Selective listening. Hearing what you want to and ignoring the rest.
8. Sparring. Listening just so you can disagree.
9. Derailing. Changing the subject or making jokes, especially when uncomfortable with the topic.
10. Misperceptions: Misunderstanding what someone is saying when they speak.
11. Culture/Language: Different beliefs about experiences, relating, and what is “right” or “wrong” in communication.
12. Superficial: Having a hard time accessing experiences beyond surface level.
13. Advising. Wanting to “fix” or offer needless advice.
14. Placating. Too quickly agreeing, sometimes as a way to make the other person stop talking.
15. Dumping: Purging concerns without space for the other person to communicate.
16. Being Right. Focusing on proving that you are not wrong, often times without taking into consideration the other person’s feelings or experience.
17. Boredom. Either due to the topic or because you’ve been listening for prolonged periods.
18. Heightened Emotions. It can be challenging to attend to a conversation when you’re emotionally activated (positively or negatively).