I asked Sasuga! Tips For You readers their biggest communication difficulty at work. One replied, “Avoiding misunderstandings.”
I can understand that. You too? I have one quick and super effective tip for you. But it can take a bit of courage to put into practice – especially in Japan.
Two problems come to mind
First, Japanese is a high-context language, which means that people rely heavily on a common understanding and unspoken cues rather than on the actual words to interpret the message.
I’ll never forget when I was interpreting for a Japanese buyer who kept saying, “Yes, yes,” in response to an Australian supplier. At the end of the meeting, the Aussie beamed and said to me, “I think that went well.” His face dropped when I explained that, actually, the buyer wasn’t so enthusiastic…
Second, Japan traditionally has a culture of unquestioning respect for seniority. Students don’t question the teacher. The audience doesn’t question the presenter. And the deshi doesn’t question the karate sensei.
This may have served Japan well in the past. The world was a simpler place – with fewer outsiders in Japan. So people were more likely to be communicating within a common context.
It’s different now. Backgrounds and experiences are diverse. This leads to multiple possible interpretations of a single communication. No wonder we have misunderstandings in the workplace.
The tip?
[Drum roll]
Ask questions.
When someone is speaking, listen for any possible disconnects (from your perspective) or points that could be interpreted in more ways than one. Then ask a clarifying question. In meetings, bring out your inner demon to ask questions that help clarify what’s being said and avoid misunderstandings. And even if you think you’ve understood, it’s good to confirm with a phrase like, “Just to be sure that I fully understand, we need to do X and Y. Is that right?”
A senior American colleague once lamented, “Helen, I just don’t understand it. I ask my Japanese team members to do something and they come back a week later with something completely different.” A few clarifying questions – from the team members or from the senior American colleague to check the instructions were fully understood could have prevented the misunderstanding and saved unnecessary work and frustration.
Yes, I understand that you don’t want to risk offense or don’t want to sound foolish for confirming something that should be obvious. But which carries the bigger risk – having the courage to ask or leaving the communication open to misinterpretation? By the way, I say this as someone who doesn’t question naturally. I’ve had to work at it. I’m still working at it!
Ask questions to help avoid misunderstandings. What questions work for you?
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