Self-esteem refers to how a person views himself or herself. In most cases, conditions surrounding one's childhood add up to their self-esteem. A large percentage of this view comes from the way the people, especially parents, treated them ( Jureddi & Brahmaiah, 2016 ). Many aspects of the treatment of people stem from the manner of conversations that go on around a person. In this manner, praises, compliments, negotiations, explanations and emphasis all go to the building of a person’s self-esteem for the better or for, the worse. It goes without saying that if one deals with his or her communication barriers, they will stand a better chance of having high self-esteem as they will relate with people well and those people will reciprocate.
The first communication barrier to remove is accompanying verbal communication with inappropriate non-verbal cues. Jureddi and Brahmaiah (2016 ) quip that non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, gestures, and body movement play a huge role in communicating a particular message. In their regard, if what one says is in contrast with the non-verbal communication, then people will not take the conversations seriously. Therefore, a funny conversation will need appropriate accompaniment of things such as a smiling face, a colorful attire, and lots of laughter. A proper balance of the two elements will ensure that people round appreciate one’s presence thus boosting self-esteem.
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The second communication barrier to eradicate is listening impediments. Park & Park (2015 ) mention several aspects that may impact on listening ability thus distorting communication. First, focusing on formulating responses to what the speaker is saying will prevent one from listening intently. Secondly, criticizing the speaker for their vocal style, height, type of dressing or any other elements will shift one from the conversation. Finally, having too much external noise such as listening to music on headphones of having a loud phone ringer may distract one from the discussion. All these listening barriers will make the speaker not to be helpful enough. In the process, the listener will not get many chances of forging meaningful relationships which is crucial for building positive self-esteem.
The third communication barrier to eliminate is a generalization and stereotyping. Preconceptions about situations and people can be a significant barrier to effective communication thus diminish one’s self-esteem. Assuming that a small piece of information is a representation of a whole person will mar the messages that he or she gives ( Jureddi & Brahmaiah, 2016 ). In the process, one will miss essential details from the people around him or her, and they will not freely interact with the others as well. Limiting one’s circle through stereotyping leads to limited exposure thus reducing self-esteem.
The fourth communication barrier to cut off is giving dysfunctional responses. Responses that are not appropriate within the context of the conversation makes one feel ashamed of themselves thus lowering self-esteem. Dysfunctional responses include irrelevant comments, interrupting others, or dominating a conversation ( Park & Park, 2015 ). The situation creates a poor environment during the communication, and the blame will go to the one person with the unwelcome responses. Therefore, thinking over issues before replying, giving accurate information, and listening carefully will ensure that one feels a meaningful part of the conversation.
It is evident that interactions with people around are the key to having healthy self-esteem. The one way of making such contexts worthwhile is having the right form of communication. Therefore, all barriers related to speaking, listening and non-verbal cues need to be addressed. When one's conversations are meaningful and welcomed by the people around, they will feel unique about themselves thus improve their self-esteem.
References
Jureddi, D. N., & Brahmaiah, N. (2016). Barriers to effective communication. Journal of English Language and Literature , 3 (2), 114-115.
Park, K. M., & Park, H. (2015). Effects of self-esteem improvement program on self-esteem and peer attachment in elementary school children with observed problematic behaviors. Asian nursing research , 9 (1), 53-59.
