What are the common barriers to the listening process?

Answer 1

Listening is not an easy task because on an average listening rate is 500 words per minute in comparison to the speaking rate, which is 125 to 150 words per minute. Broadly, barriers to the listening process can be classified into physical distractions, emotional disturbance, language and cultural differences. Let us discuss them in detail:

1. Physical distraction: It is a common distraction, which takes place when the surrounding is very noisy. This disturbance easily disrupts the listening process. Any sound such as talking on phone, long distance from the speaker, noise on the roads or any loud music near the listener may affect his listening process. To ensure that the distraction does not take place, a listener should take care of the following points:

• To ensure that external distractions are eliminated.
• In a seminar or conference phones to be switched off.
• To let the speaker be at ease.
• Proper distance between the speaker and the listener should be maintained.
• To ensure that proper sitting arrangements and ambience is set so that the listener does not feel uncomfortable.

2. Psychological barrier: It is said that psychological barrier is the greatest barrier in the listening process. It can be status, ego, and state of mind or pre-judgmental thought. Feeling of anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety or fear lead to ineffective listening on the part of the listener. People generally have the tendency to hear those who hold a respectable place in the organization or in the society whereas a general executive does not hold any value to them. They think that these section of people are highly experienced and authentic about what they say in terms of the subject. Another psychological barrier, which is prevalent in the listening process is egoism. People working in the same designation tend to ignore the words spoken by their peers or subordinates with the view that they are not important to them. Due to egoism, it has been found that a lot of business decisions and important issues are sidelined because the listeners think that either their colleague is blowing his own Trumpet or he is over-exaggerating on the issue, which he can handle himself. It is to note that a listener should be bias-free and gives opinion according to the merit of the case presented before him. He should take active part in the communication process.

3. Language barrier: It is the most common of all the barriers discussed because if the listener is unable to understand the language the speaker speaks, he will not be able to interpret it correctly.

The meaning of the message will be distorted and the listener would make a different meaning and send wrong decoded message to the speaker. This in turn, will lead to confusion and misunderstanding between both the speaker and the listener. In order to remove such language barrier, certain points are taken into consideration as given below:

• To ensure that both the speaker and the listener understand the language they are using between them.
• The speaker should try to refrain himself from using difficult words, jargons, terminology or any phrases, which the listener is unable to understand. If required, the listener can ask the speaker for any clarification.
• The speaker should avoid using ambiguous statements, which hold two different meaning. He should make it clear to the listener about what he actually means to say.
• Any doubts regarding the message or the speech said by the speaker should be cleared by the listener immediately.

It is suggested that a proficient speaker should check the background of the listener, his educational background and the place he comes from.

4. Cultural barrier: Cultural difference affects the listening capability of the listener. If both the speaker and the listener are from the same cultural background, then it becomes easy for both of them to understand and reciprocate their ideas. But if the cultural difference persists and the interpretation of the listener is wrong, then it would create misunderstanding between them. In order to avoid such cultural barriers, a listener should be sensitive to cultural differences and give value to the speaker's words. It happens that the listener perceives something, which he is unaware of and starts thinking about it. Let's take an example of an American meeting a Japanese national. Here, both the parties feel restless about their behavior, their reaction and their language. The different interpretations each one makes due to the pauses and silence makes the listening process miserable, and as such the conversation is stopped or incomplete. Thus, in order to avoid such differences and have an effective listening process, one has to be extra cautious and sensitive when it comes to cultural difference.