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Enjoying Your Work Richard Brislin |
Level of communication
can vary depending
on familiarityAt a meeting that took place in a Honolulu bank, Frank Jordan presented his business plan for a company that would link Hawaii products to Asian markets. Frank had recently moved to Hawaii from Chicago. The others at the meeting were bankers and investors, all of whom had lived in Hawaii for most of their professional lives. Just as Frank was wrapping up his presentation, two of the most respected people at the meeting glanced at each other and exchanged nearly imperceptible nods. The loan officer who arranged the meeting noticed the gestures and called for a recess. Frank did not understand what was going on and wondered if his presentation had been poorly received.
Frank has encountered the distinction between high- and low- context communication. In places where people have known each other for long periods of time, communication is often high context. This means that people do not have to use large number of words to deliver their message. The content of the message is heavily influenced by various contextual cues. The two local business people at the meeting knew each other well. They might have wanted to speak to each other before questioning Frank at the end of his presentation. The two might have wanted to make sure that "they were on the same page" during their responses to Frank's proposal. So they exchanged slight nods of the head. The loan officer, also from Hawaii, noticed the nonverbal exchange and suggested a recess.
In cultures where people often move from community to community, these subtle communication norms are less likely to be prominent. People do not know each other well, so they are much more dependent upon the exact words they choose to use while communicating. If Frank presented his business plan in a low-context culture, the business people would be much more overt about their desire for a recess. One might say: "I would like to take a break to discuss one aspect of your proposal with my colleague. I think we will be able to ask more pertinent questions if we compare notes at this time."
In high-context communication, people know the meaning of messages without the need for extensive discussion. With low context, people have to talk, discuss and engage in give-and-take dialogue.
Another example might be helpful. When my parents married in 1938, where would they live? Because they grew up 10 miles from each other in two small Vermont towns, they shared cultural expectations. The answer was that they would live where my father got a good job. They did not have to spend time discussing the question. Today, the question becomes part of low-context communication. People do not always share the same expectations. The man and woman have to consider the question carefully and discuss it extensively. They might decide to live where the woman has the best job prospects and promotion opportunities. The old high-context answer that centers on the male's career goals is no longer automatic.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Given the amount of time people spend at work, job satisfaction should ideally be high and it should contribute to general life happiness. Enjoyment can increase as people learn more about workplace psychology, communication, and group influences.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration, University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu
