From the course: Developing Cross-Cultural Intelligence

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Direct versus indirect communication

Direct versus indirect communication

From the course: Developing Cross-Cultural Intelligence

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Direct versus indirect communication

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- Have you ever heard the saying, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place"? It's funny, but it's true, and it happens in the workplace every single day. Whether we use the communication style of our culture or our own personal style, we may end up being unclear in some situations, or too aggressive in others. In that case, the consequence is conflict and confusion. While no culture exclusively relies on direct or indirect communication, they do tend towards one style over the other. For example, in direct communication cultures, countries like the United States, especially the Northeast, Sweden, Israel, and Germany, people generally say exactly what they mean. They're forthright at asking questions, they give feedback openly, they get to the point relatively quickly, and they say no without any inhibition. An outsider dealing with a direct communication culture may welcome the clarity and transparency, which may be perceived as an efficient…

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