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I asked Sasuga! Tips For You readers their biggest communication difficulty at work. One replied, \u201cAvoiding misunderstandings.\u201d<\/p>\n
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 \u2013 especially in Japan.<\/p>\n
Two problems come to mind<\/b><\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll never forget when I was interpreting for a Japanese buyer who kept saying, \u201cYes, yes,\u201d in response to an Australian supplier. At the end of the meeting, the Aussie beamed and said to me, \u201cI think that went well.\u201d His face dropped when I explained that, actually, the buyer wasn\u2019t so enthusiastic\u2026<\/p>\n
Second, Japan traditionally has a culture of unquestioning respect for seniority. Students don\u2019t question the teacher. The audience doesn\u2019t question the presenter. And the deshi doesn\u2019t question the karate sensei.<\/p>\n
This may have served Japan well in the past. The world was a simpler place \u2013 with fewer outsiders in Japan. So people were more likely to be communicating within a common context.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
The tip? <\/b><\/p>\n
[Drum roll]<\/p>\n
Ask questions.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/span> to ask questions that help clarify what\u2019s being said and avoid misunderstandings. And even if you think you\u2019ve understood, it\u2019s good to confirm with a phrase like, \u201cJust to be sure that I fully understand, we need to do X and Y. Is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n A senior American colleague once lamented, \u201cHelen, I just don\u2019t understand it. I ask my Japanese team members to do something and they come back a week later with something completely different.\u201d A few clarifying questions \u2013 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.<\/p>\n Yes, I understand that you don\u2019t want to risk offense or don\u2019t want to sound foolish for confirming something that should be obvious. But which carries the bigger risk \u2013 having the courage to ask or leaving the communication open to misinterpretation? By the way, I say this as someone who doesn\u2019t question naturally. I\u2019ve had to work at it. I\u2019m still working at it!<\/p>\n Ask questions to help avoid misunderstandings. What questions work for you?<\/p>\n