Roadblocks to Communication

There are numerous roadblocks to communication that frequently get in the way of information flowing. Four that I explore in this ezine are changing the topic, fixing it, judging, and talking about ourselves. All of these responses increase the likelihood that the other person will shut down and be less inclined to give additional information. Consider how each of these roadblocks might look like in response to a statement about a car accident.

Changing the topic

Person 1: Sorry I’m late. I had a little accident yesterday. No big deal, but I had to talk to the insurance companies and everything this am.

Person 2: Oh. Did you hear that O’Brien had been transferred to a new department?

Fixing it

Person 2: Were you hurt? Because if you were I know of a great injury lawyer you should see. You might make out big time.

Judging

Person 2: I told you to put your snow tires on last week.

Talking about yourself

Person 2: Cars are a pain in the neck. Mine has been in the shop three times this winter. It was better when people just walked. But I wish I had insurance to cover mine.

A more inviting response

A simple question asking for more information might be more useful and appropriate in this case. Saying, “Are you okay?” or, “Was anybody hurt?” or “Is there anything I can help with?” would all give the listener more information. While this example is personal, in a workplace roadblocks can have great consequences. For example, if an employee makes a mistake and a supervisor quickly judges them for it, the supervisor might not get information about how they contributed to the mistake (by not being approachable for example). While I am not suggesting that you should never talk about yourself or try to help fix a problem, doing so too frequently or too quickly can limit the information you receive that can make you more effective.

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