Show Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter. Get monthly intercultural tips, tools and insights. In the West we say “give it to me straight.” Generally speaking, people in the United States tend to be direct, and North Europeans even more so. If confronted by a North European, it’s okay to be firm about your opinions. But in other cultures, people believe conflict is dysfunctional and would rather be indirect and diplomatic. In indirect cultures, the emphasis is on social harmony, one of the key differences in values between cultures. Thus, people are often indirect to avoid conflict, embarrassment or hurt feelings. In some parts of the world, people might give you directions even if they have no idea how to get there. The reason: they don’t want to disappoint you or embarrass themselves by telling you they don’t know. 1. Communication Problems - These roundabout communication styles can cause problems, from getting accurate feedback from employees, to getting a yes or no answer. For example, a South American passenger jet once crashed near New York after the cockpit crew failed to be direct about the severity of their lack of fuel. 2. No to No – In many cultures, the most difficult word is no. In Thailand, there’s no such word. In Japan, there are more than a dozen different ways to give rejection, each appropriate for different occasions. Rather than saying no directly, people might say “maybe” or “not yet.” 3. Does Yes Means Yes? Even yes doesn’t always mean yes. In many cultures, yes might mean “yes I have heard you” rather then “yes I agree with you.” Direct vs indirect communication is one of the most important facets of cultural diversity in the workplace. Here are 4 tips for communicating effectively across cultures: 4. Asked Different Ways – To get more direct information, you might try gently asking a question several different ways. 5. Third Parties – Another strategy is to seek information through third parties, especially local associates. 6. Change Settings – Finally, try a change of setting. An Asian executive might be more open in an informal setting like a golf course, or a Latin American subordinate more forthcoming behind closed doors. 7. Diplomacy Wins – At the same time, you’ll need to be more diplomatic to avoid seeming pushy or rude. Thus, avoid forcing direct answers. You’ll also need to give information diplomatically. For example, if you need to criticize an employee, you might make comments aimed at a group rather than an individual. Conclusion: Let’s summarize the key points of indirect communication: • In many cultures, people are indirect to avoid conflict, embarrassment or hurt feelings; For more information, see this intercultural communication video. What did I miss? Please leave your comments or additional tips below. How do you communicate with other cultures? Have you ever noticed the way people communicate abroad? Some people might have already paid attention to specific aspects of the intercultural communication, however I am sure that others are not aware of the importance of this ability in a international
context. I could not find the answer to these questions asked above only through theoretical concepts, but also through the contact with people during my trips throughout 4 continents. These empirical experiences around the globe contributed to my understanding of this subject. When it comes to the communication, it is necessary to consider other elements beyond the language itself, because the oral communication, in a foreign language mainly, can hide feelings and other special features of a
culture. Nowadays, companies include people from different backgrounds in their staff and in several international projects, therefore a mutual comprehension is crucial for the achievement of the professional goals. The unawareness of this intercultural competence can lead to missunderstandings and impact negatively on work. In this approach, I would like to mention some important elements of cross-cultural communication, which must be taken into account while interacting with people from
different backgrounds: § Small talk: it plays an important role in some cultures, where conversation about random or personal topics is used, in order to build trust. It is also a strategy to establish some contact (icebreaker). § Body Language: nonverbal communication can sometimes say more than many words, so they are a key element for the communication in some nations. In other ones, some behaviours related to it, such as gestures, can be annoying and confuse the interlocutor, when they are excessive. § Religion: religious beliefs are a meaningful and fundamental part of certain societies.This aspect extends to the vocabulary used by the people belonging to them based on religious words and expressions. § Body contact: the idea of distance is a complex and polemical subject in cross-cultural communication, because cultures deal differently with it. In some nations, a closer contact means affection and trust, however this behaviour is a no-go in other ones. § Directness and indirectness: people from different cultures tend to establish a clear and direct communication (known as low-context). Others communicate through an indirect way, in which information are not clear and must be ”read between the lines“. When people from cultures with both characteristics interact with each other, some conflicts can emerge, as direct communication can be seen as rude and the indirect one as dishonest. What cultures use indirect communication?Indirect communication allows you to say “No” in a non-offensive manner, especially when it comes to working with cultures that communicate indirectly, such as India, China, Japan, Asia, and many countries in the Middle East.
What is indirect and direct communication?direct communication, the speaker is responsible for clear communication. In indirect communication, common in high-context cultures, the meaning is conveyed not just by the words used but by nonverbal behaviors (“pauses, silence, tone of voice” [Ting-Toomey, p.
What does it mean to communicate indirectly?Indirect communication happens when a speaker's true intentions are hidden. Indirect speakers will not make a direct statement or directly answer a question that might cause tension or result in an uncomfortable situation. They are more likely to say “maybe” or “possibly' when the true answer is “no”.
What are the two types of communication styles depending on culture?The instrumental style is dominant in individualistic, low-context cultures. By contrast, the affective style is process-oriented in verbal exchange and uses a receiver-oriented language. The roles of speaker and listener are rather integrated than differentiated and are interdependent.
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Some cultures communicate very indirectly and others communicate very directly
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