Picture this: you’ve been asked to screen candidates for an open position with your organization. When interviewing one candidate, in particular, you explain the requirements and that the position calls for a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, let’s say. Immediately after hearing this information, the candidate suddenly seems less confident and almost weary–his smile falters, eyes widen, and you notice he begins to nervously tap his foot. Without saying a single word, he has communicated so much to you already–he’s likely lacking a qualification for this position.

As humans, we learn to listen and speak through more than just words. Body language, tone of voice, and many more factors can relay subliminal messages to those we communicate with–so much so, in fact, that Psychology professor Albert Mehrabian has noted that words account for 7% of the message relayed, tone of voice for 38%, and facial expression for the final 55%. There’s another crucial factor that influences the message we send and receive in face-to-face conversations–our own personal attitudinal barriers. 

Attitudinal Barriers

Attitudinal barriers are mental blocks stemming from one’s personal assumptions and attitude. These barriers develop throughout our life and are shaped by both internal and external experiences. They can even be based on our socio-economic or cultural background. These elements can be a hindrance to true and honest communication as they can distort, obscure, or filter information in a way that focuses attention on only select elements of a conversation. In professional settings, attitude barriers may be the result of personal conflicts, poor management, and personal attitudes or behaviors of people.

One example of an attitudinal barrier is egocentrism–the tendency to focus only on self and self-pertaining information in a conversation and to believe that one’s own opinions and comments are superior to others. This may manifest as interrupting in a conversation, speaking over another, or bringing a conversation back to yourself.

6 tips for improving communication and overcoming attitudinal barriers

1. Start with a moment of reflection

Take a moment to identify what attitudinal barriers you yourself may harbor. Are there certain walls you put up when communicating? Are you guilty of prejudging intentions, attitudes, or behaviors? Good self-awareness is imperative to improving communication. Understanding your own predispositions allows you to better prepare yourself to communicate effectively and truthfully. 

2. Evaluate your body language and facial expressions

Whether dealing with our own attitudinal barriers or being mindful of others’, one important factor to zero in on is your body language. Body language is so important that, according to psychologists, these nonverbal gestures are often what validate or invalidate our message. When communicating with others, demonstrating confident and open body language may illustrate both confidence and open mindedness. 

Conversely, a defensive position, like scowled eyebrows or crossed arms, may keep those you’re speaking with on guard. When trying to hold an honest conversation with seemingly negative body language or facial expressions, you may also be guilty of sending mixed messages or possibly triggering your audience’s own attitudinal barriers. If you’re looking to improve your communication overall and work on overcoming attitudinal barriers, evaluate the subliminal messages your body language and facial expressions may be sending. 

3. Focus on what you’re saying

How you phrase the message you’re communicating can greatly influence how the message is received. Using language that is positive–or, at very least, neutral–may help you to overcome your own barriers in communication. Similarly, positive language and phrasing can also ensure you don’t trigger your audience’s own barriers. What’s more, clear and concise phrasing minimizes the risk of miscommunication–which, one study reports, is one major reason for low retention rates in an organization.

4. Think, too, about how you’re saying it

Your tone of voice is as important when communicating as the words themselves. Like poor body language, a negative or uninterested tone of voice may not accurately reflect what you wish to convey. A poor tone of voice may also lead those you’re communicating with to believe you have negative opinions of the topic at hand, or that you’re not interested in what’s being said. Working on how you speak is important to improving communication with others. 

Improving your tone of voice may also assist you in overcoming these barriers. If certain situations, topics, or people tend to build up attitudinal barriers within you, an even and upbeat tone may be just what you need to break down those walls and effectively communicate.

 5. Build your empathy

The best way to improve communication and to overcome communication barriers is to put yourself in others’ shoes. Understanding where your audience is coming from allows you to better communicate your message. Let’s say you’re having a conversation with a colleague in which she confesses she’s had strain in her personal life that’s seemingly affecting her professional work. While it may be easy to say, “Work comes first” or “Maybe you should put more effort into your work,” these responses may stem from your own attitudinal barriers. A little empathy and compassion can go a long way.

6. Practice active listening

When someone is speaking to you, do you listen to what they say? Or do you simply wait for your turn to speak? Are you hearing what they want you to hear or what you want to hear? Active listening plays a critical role in communication.  In fact, research shows that those who engage in active listening are seen as more understanding and more enjoyable to speak with. 

Active listening involves hearing what the speaker is saying, identifying the message they want you to hear, and picking up on nonverbal expressions. To hone your active listening, make sure to make consistent eye contact, refrain from bringing the conversation back to yourself, reign in any emotions (anger, boredom, etc.) that may present themselves, and follow up with any questions you have.

Communication goes deeper than the words we speak. It involves everything, from our nonverbal expressions to our tone of voice. It can even be influenced by how effectively we listen. In a rapidly digitizing world, the art of effective communication may seem lost. But, hope remains with those who invest the time in honing their communication skills and overcoming their own attitudinal barriers.

© 2024 The Growth Group, LLC - All rights reserved