Verbal Messages in the Workplace
It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! You might be thinking “that’s not a word!” Mary Poppins would say “Why of course it’s a word: A word you say when you don’t know what to say!”
Now, do I suggest making up your own words? Absolutely not, but it is so important that you choose your words carefully to befit the meaning you would like to convey. After all, language helps create our sense of reality by giving meaning. Verbal messages are the messages created by language (words). Language is symbolic; it is a collection of symbols governed by rules and used to convey messages between people (Adler et al., 2021). Though, meanings are in people, not in words. People deem what the meaning of a word is. After reviewing some of the basic nuances that language can bring, we’ll look at some barriers to communication in the workplace that verbal messages can bring.
Verbal Messages and Meaning
Let’s start with a baseline of knowledge for verbal messages. Words have both denotative and connotative meanings. The denotative meaning is the literal or dictionary meaning of a word or phrase. The connotative meaning is the meaning suggested by the associations or emotions triggered by a word or phrase. Connotative meanings are to blame for most disconnects in the workplace as individuals have different experiences and associations. Now let’s talk about specificity. Concrete words are words that refer to tangible objects that can be observed through the five senses. “Concrete language gets right to the point, removes any ambiguity, and provides the extra details that connect your reader to your message” (Maddock, 2024). Abstract words are words that refer to ideas or concepts and may be harder to describe or experience. This language can be more open to interpretation and often people describe/define them in different ways. Consider that you are hiring someone and use the phrase “flexible team player.” What does this mean? This is an example of abstract words. If you can clarify what this phrase means in more concrete terms, it may be easier for you to hire the right candidate.
Direct vs. Indirect Verbal Messages
Direct and Indirect messages both have a strategic place in the workplace and life. Understanding how the organization of the message content and the context for when to use either is helpful. The direct approach involves succinctly stating the primary purpose upfront, leaving little room for ambiguity. On the other hand, the indirect approach involves introducing the main idea following the opening paragraph, which can be effective in capturing the attention of a potentially disinterested audience. Generally, if you anticipate a favorable response from the reader, opting for a direct opening can effectively communicate your purpose and objectives from the outset. Conversely, in situations where a positive reception is unlikely, or when conveying unfavorable news, a more indirect approach may be preferable. Each approach serves its unique function and purpose; a proficient business writer will adeptly navigate between directness and the tactful delivery of challenging information through a positive opening. Additionally, your place in the organizational hierarchy may influence the strategic decision to use a direct or indirect approach. If you are an intern suggesting a change for your new work team, you make choose to be more indirect to avoid seeming arrogant. This will be discussed further in Chapter 7, Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace.
Barriers to Communication in the Workplace
As you use language to make sense of your experiences, as part of our discussion, you no doubt came to see that language and verbal communication can work both for you and against you. Language allows you to communicate, but it also allows you to miscommunicate and misunderstand. The same system we use to express our most intimate thoughts can be frustrating when it fails to capture our thoughts, to represent what we want to express, and to reach our audience. For all its faults, though, it is the best system we have, and part of improving the communication process is the clear identification of where it breaks down. Anticipate where a word or expression may need more clarification and you will be on your way to reducing errors and improving verbal communication.
In this section we discuss how words can serve either as a bridge, or a barrier, to understanding and communication of meaning. Our goals of effective and efficient business communication mean an inherent value of words and terms that keeps the bridge clear and free of obstacles.
Cliché
A cliché is a once-clever word or phrase that has lost its impact through overuse. If you spoke or wrote in clichés, how would your audience react? Let’s try it. How do you react when you read this sentence: “A cliché is something to avoid like the plague, for it is nothing but a tired old war horse, and if the shoe were on the other foot you too would have an axe to grind”? As you can see, the problem with clichés is that they often sound silly or boring.
Clichés are sometimes a symptom of lazy communication—the person using the cliché hasn’t bothered to search for original words to convey the intended meaning. Clichés lose their impact because readers and listeners tend to gloss over them, assuming their common meaning while ignoring your specific use of them. As a result, they can be obstacles to successful communication.
Jargon
Jargon is an occupation-specific language used by people in a given profession. Jargon does not necessarily imply formal education, but instead focuses on the language people in a profession use to communicate with each other. Members of the information technology department have a distinct group of terms that refer to common aspects in their field. Members of the marketing department, or advertising, or engineering, research, and development also have sets of terms they use within their professional community. Jargon exists in just about every occupation, independent of how much formal education is involved—from medicine and law; to financial services, banking, and insurance; to animal husbandry, auto repair, and the construction trades.
Whether or not to use jargon is often a judgment call and one that is easier to make in speaking than in writing. In an oral context, we may be able to use a technical term and instantly know from feedback whether or not the receiver of the message “got it.” If they didn’t, we can define it on the spot. In written language, we lack that immediate response and must attend more to the context of the receiver. The more we learn about our audience, the better we can tailor our chosen words. If we lack information or want our document to be understood by a variety of readers, it pays to use common words and avoid jargon.
Slang
Think for a moment about the words and expressions you use when you communicate with your best friends. If a coworker was to hang out with you and your friends, would they understand all the words you use, the music you listen to, the stories you tell and the way you tell them? Probably not, because you and your friends probably use certain words and expressions in ways that have special meaning to you.
This special form of language, which in some ways resembles jargon, is slang. Slang is the use of existing or newly invented words to take the place of standard or traditional words with the intent of adding an unconventional, nonstandard, humorous, or rebellious effect. It differs from jargon in that it is used in informal contexts, among friends or members of a certain age group, rather than by professionals in a certain industry.
Since our emphasis in business communication is on clarity, and a slang word runs the risk of creating misinterpretation, it is generally best to avoid slang. You may see the marketing department use a slang word to target a specific, well-researched audience, but for our purposes of your general presentation introducing a product or service, we will stick to clear, common words that are easily understood.
Sexist and Racist Language
Some forms of slang involve put-downs of people belonging to various groups. This type of slang often crosses the line and becomes offensive, not only to the groups that are being put down, but also to others who may hear it. In today’s workplace there is no place where sexist or racist language is appropriate. In fact, using such language can be a violation of company policies and in some cases antidiscrimination laws.
Sexist language uses gender as a discriminating factor. Referring to adult women as “girls” or using the word “man” to refer to humankind are examples of sexist language. In a more blatant example, several decades ago a woman was the first female sales representative in her company’s sales force. The men resented her and were certain they could outsell her, so they held a “Beat the Broad” sales contest. (By the way, she won.) Today, a contest with a name like that would be out of the question.
Racist language discriminates against members of a given race or ethnic group. While it may be obvious that racial and ethnic slurs have no place in business communication, there can also be issues with more subtle references to “those people” or “you know how they are.” If race or ethnicity genuinely enters into the subject of your communication—in a drugstore, for example, there is often an aisle for black hair care products—then naturally it makes sense to mention customers belonging to that group. The key is that mentioning racial and ethnic groups should be done with the same respect you would desire if someone else were referring to groups you belong to.
Euphemisms
In seeking to avoid offensive slang, it is important not to assume that a euphemism is the solution. A euphemism involves substituting an acceptable word for an offensive, controversial, or unacceptable one that conveys the same or similar meaning. The problem is that the audience still knows what the expression means, and understands that the writer or speaker is choosing a euphemism for the purpose of sounding more educated or genteel.
Euphemisms can also be used sarcastically or humorously—“H-E-double-hockey-sticks,” for example, is a euphemism for “hell” that may be amusing in some contexts. If your friend has just gotten a new job as a janitor, you may jokingly ask, “How’s my favorite sanitation engineer this morning?” But such humor is not always appreciated, and can convey disrespect even when none is intended.
Euphemistic words are not always disrespectful, however. For example, when referring to a death, it is considered polite in many parts of the United States to say that the person “passed” or “passed away,” rather than the relatively insensitive word, “died.” Similarly, people say, “I need to find a bathroom” when it is well understood they are not planning to take a bath.
Still, these polite euphemisms are exceptions to the rule. Euphemisms are generally more of a hindrance than a help to understanding. In business communication the goal is clarity, and the very purpose of euphemism is to be vague. To be clear, choose words that mean what you intend to convey.
Doublespeak
Doublespeak is the deliberate use of words to disguise, obscure, or change meaning. Doublespeak is often present in bureaucratic communication, where it can serve to cast a person or an organization in a less unfavorable light than plain language would do. When you ask a friend, “How does it feel to be downsized?” you are using a euphemism to convey humor, possibly even dark humor. Your friend’s employer was likely not joking, though, when the action was announced as a “downsizing” rather than as a “layoff” or “dismissal.” In military communications, “collateral damage” is often used to refer to civilian deaths, but no mention of the dead is present. You may recall the “bailout” of the U.S. economy in 2008, which quickly came to be called the “rescue” and finally the “buy in” as the United States bought interests in nine regional and national banks. The meaning changed from saving an economic system or its institutions to investing in them. This change of terms, and the attempt to change the meaning of the actions, became common in comedy routines across the nation.
Doublespeak can be quite dangerous when it is used deliberately to obscure meaning and the listener cannot anticipate or predict consequences based on the (in)effective communication. When a medical insurance company says, “We insure companies with up to twenty thousand lives,” is it possible to forget that those “lives” are people? Ethical issues quickly arise when humans are dehumanized and referred to as “objects” or “subjects.” When genocide is referred to as “ethnic cleansing,” is it any less deadly than when called by its true name? If the meaning was successfully hidden from the audience, one might argue that the doublespeak was effective. But our goal continues to be clear and concise communication with a minimum of misinterpretation. Learn to recognize doublespeak by what it does not communicate as well as what it communicates.
Summary
Each of these six barriers to communication contributes to misunderstanding and miscommunication, intentionally or unintentionally. If you recognize one of them, you can address it right away. You can redirect a question and get to essential meaning, rather than leaving with a misunderstanding that impacts the relationship.
Another way that you can reduce obstacles to effective communication in the workplace is to use inclusive language. Inclusive language is language that does not stereotype, demean, or patronize people based on gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or other factors (Adler, et al., 2021). Using inclusive language is a way of being respectful to both your immediate audience and the various groups that make up our society. Inclusive language is essential for promoting understanding, respect, and empathy. It ensures that our communication is considerate of all individuals, regardless of their background, identity, or experiences.
Gender-Neutral Pronouns: Instead of assuming someone’s gender, use gender-neutral pronouns like “they/them” when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or when discussing a group.
Use Gender-Inclusive Terms: Instead of using gender-specific terms like “fireman” or “stewardess,” opt for gender-neutral alternatives like “firefighter” or “flight attendant.”
Avoid Stereotypes: Be mindful of stereotypes related to race, ethnicity, age, disability, and other characteristics. Use language that avoids assumptions or generalizations.
In business communication, our goal of clear and concise communication remains constant, but we can never forget that trust is the foundation for effective communication. Part of our effort must include reinforcing the relationship inherent between source and receiver, and one effective step toward that goal is to reduce obstacles to effective communication.
Attribution:
Information for the 'Barriers to Communication in the Workplace' section was adapted from
Business Communication for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
References:
Maddock, J. (2024, January 30). Abstract vs. concrete language in business communications. BusinessWritingBlog. https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2021/02/abstract-vs-concrete-language-which-is-better-and-why.html