Practice Exercise 1
Identify which scenario reflects direct communication and which reflects indirect communication.
Scenario 1:
In a meeting, a Japanese colleague says
◦ That might be difficult
in response to a proposed idea.
Scenario 2:
An American manager says
◦ We need to cut costs by 10% starting next month.
Scenario 1 reflects indirect communication, where the colleague is politely implying disagreement.
Scenario 2 reflects direct communication, with a clear and explicit instruction.
Practice Exercise 2 - Pragmatic Awareness
Interpret the speaker’s intent in each context.
Statement:
Could you close the window?
Context 1:
The speaker is cold.
Context 2:
The speaker is annoyed by the noise outside.
Context 1, the speaker is likely making a polite request because they are cold.
Context 1, the speaker might be expressing frustration and indirectly asking for the window to be closed.
Practice Exercise 3
Identify potential cultural misunderstandings and suggest how each party could adjust their communication style.
Scenario:
An American businessperson and a Japanese businessperson are discussing a contract.
The American says:
We need a decision by the end of the week.
The Japanese businessperson responds with:
We will think about it.
The American’s direct request may seem too abrupt to the Japanese, who might be uncomfortable with making a quick decision.
The Japanese response might seem non-committal to the American, but it’s actually a polite way of indicating that more time is needed.
Both could benefit from understanding each other’s cultural norms around decision-making and deadlines.