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Workplace communication is not easy. This is a place where you meet people from different
walks of life and also from different cultural background. Language is one of the major barriers
to effective communication.

Communication is a process by which you convey your message to someone or a group of

people. And if the message is conveyed clearly and unambiguously, then it is known as effective
communication. In effective communication, the message you had send would reach the receiver
with very little distortion. However, a communication becomes successful only if the receiver
understands what the sender is trying to convey. When your message is not clearly understood
you should understand that you are facing a barrier to communication. Barriers to effective
communication could cause roadblocks in your professional and personal life and it could be one
of the major hurdles in achieving your professional goals.

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An effective communication barrier is one of the problems faced by many organizations. Many
social psychologists opine that there is 50% to 70% loss of meaning while conveying the
messages from a sender to a receiver. They estimate there are four basic places where
communication could be interpreted wrongly. A few barriers of effective communication in an
organization are given below.


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 - One of the major barriers of communication in a workplace is the physical
barrier. Physical barriers in an organization includes large working areas that are physically
separated from others. Other distractions that could cause a physical barrier in an organization
are the environment, background noise

   - Inability to converse in a language that is known by both the sender and receiver is
the greatest barrier to effective communication. When a person uses inappropriate words while
conversing or writing, it could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and a receiver.

  - Your emotions could be a barrier to communication if you are engrossed in your
emotions for some reason. In such cases, you tend to have trouble listening to others or
understanding the message conveyed to you. A few of the emotional interferences include
hostility, anger, resentfulness and fear.


 
 - If a person who sends a message lacks subject knowledge then he
may not be able to convey his message clearly. The receiver could misunderstand his message,
and this could lead to a barrier to effective communication.


 - One of the major communication barriers faced by employees in most of the
organization is stress. When a person is under immense stress, he may find it difficult to
understand the message, leading to communication distortion. At the time of stress, our
psychological frame of mind depends on our beliefs, experiences, goals and values. Thus, we fail
to realize the essence of communication.

The above-mentioned barriers to effective communication are considered as filters of

communications. You can overcome the barriers to communication through effective and active
listening.
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Transactional analysis is a social psychology developed by Eric Berne,

MD (d.1970). (Click here for a biography of Eric Berne.) Over the past
four decades Eric Berne's theory has evolved to include applications to
psychotherapy, counseling, education, and organizational development.
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Transactional analysis is a powerful tool to bring about human well being. In psychotherapy,
transactional analysis utilizes a contract for specific changes desired by the client and involves
the "Adult" in both the client and the clinician to sort out behaviors, emotions and thoughts that
prevent the development of full human potential. Transactional analysts intervene as they work
with clients in a safe, protective, mutually respectful-OK/OK--- environment to eliminate
dysfunctional behaviors and establish and reinforce positive relationship styles and healthy
functioning. Transactional analysts are able to use the many tools of psychotherapy, ranging
from psychodynamic to cognitive behavioral methods in effective and potent ways. Examples of
transactional analysis psychotherapy can bee seen in our Master Therapists series, the Ellyn
Bader and Peter Pearson Couples Therapy Videotapes and the Carlo Moiso-Isabelle Crespelle
DVD. (See our Products page.)
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Counselors who utilize transactional analysis work contractually on solving "here and now"
problems. Counseling work focuses on creating productive problem solving behaviors. Using
transactional analysis, counselor's establish an egalitarian, safe and mutually respectful working
relationship with their clients. This working relationship provides tools clients can utilize in their
day-to-day functions to improve the quality of their lives.



Transactional Analysis is a practical educational psychology that offers a way of transforming

educational philosophy and principles into everyday practice. TA concepts provide a flexible and
creative approach to understanding how people function and to the connections between human
behaviour, learning and education. Teaching them to both teachers and students is a process of
empowerment, enhancing effective methods of interaction and mutual recognition.

Educational TA is both preventive and restorative. TA concepts are developed and used with
people of all ages and stages of development in their various social settings. The aim is to
increase personal autonomy, to support people in developing their own personal and professional
philosophies and to enable optimum psychological health and growth.

The key philosophical concepts that underpin Educational TA are:

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The process of educational TA is contractual, so that all parties know where they stand, and what
agreements have been made for what purposes. Throughout the process the ideas and methods of
TA are used openly to promote informed co-operation and the sharing of power between all
parties.

TA can be used to address important issues in:

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effective learning in a wide variety of contexts.

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Transactional Analysis is a powerful tool in the hands of organizational development specialists.

Through presenting the basic concepts of transactional analysis and using it as the basic theory to
undergird the objectives of their clients, organizational development specialists build a common
strategy with which to address the particular needs of organizations and to build a functional
relationship, as well as eliminate dysfunctional organizational behaviors.