What I’ve learned about miscommunication from working in Japan

It’s more than language.

“What are we doing wrong here?” were the words that prompted me to write this.

I was sat at my desk, sifting through the morning’s emails and planning out the remainder of my week, as our company president made herself a cup of coffee and vented to me about the latest lapse in communication. “[The CEO] said it in English in an email last week. We talked about it in the manager meeting yesterday. You sent an email to make sure, then I replied to you and confirmed it in Japanese.

“How did he not understand? What are we doing wrong here?”

I don’t remember the exact details — one of the managers didn’t do what he was supposed to do, or he did what someone else was supposed to do, or he gave a client the wrong information or something. It doesn’t really matter, because all of the above have happened at our office, and chances are you’ve experienced them, too. The point is that things weren’t working for us. We’re a small startup that provides, among other things, corporate training, staffing services, and (ironically enough) communication services. Yet internally, miscommunications like this were running rampant and our efficiency was suffering. Things weren’t getting done and morale dropped. Trust in leadership was at an all-time low. You get the picture.

“Communication” is one of those words, like “confidence” and “simplicity”, that get thrown around so much these days that they’re bordering on becoming cliches, stripped of their meaning, yet ready to be used in nearly any context imaginable. But that doesn’t mean we should stop talking about them. On the contrary, they’ve reached this status for a reason — very few things trump them in importance.

When working in a multicultural office, like our humble headquarters in Nagoya, Japan, good communication becomes even more crucial, and the challenges presented, even more numerous. My experiences working as a language teacher, conducting cross-cultural communication workshops, and spending a total of eight years working abroad have subjected me to a lot of these challenges, and helped me become more aware of the dynamics at play. A few of my observations:

• People choose which language to use depending on who they’re talking to. Sounds obvious, but you can typically predict which language will be used in a given context by noting the attendees. Will it be language A, language B, or a mix of the two? Actively considering this will give you insight into your office’s dynamic. People will choose a language for a number of reasons: they think their audience will better understand their native tongue, they’re more comfortable using their own native tongue, they can speak with more nuance about finer details in their native tongue, they feel pressured to speak a language, or they simply want to practice a language.
• They don’t always choose right. You may sometimes notice people with the same native tongue using a different language to communicate, in order to be better understood by a non-native speaker in attendance. Sounds reasonable enough, but people will often do this even if the other person understands their native language better than they speak his! This can be out of politeness, or as a result of underrating the other person’s ability, or overrating their own.
• It’s not just about language. It’s well-known that non-verbal communication has a profound effect (though just how profound is still a subject of debate), but it goes beyond that. Cultural concepts like expectations, attitudes, and values all play a part in how your message is heard. In Japan, for example, it’s quite uncommon for someone to directly say “no” to a request. So instead, Japanese people will often avoid doing so by giving vague, neutral answers like “I’m not sure,” “I don’t know,” “That’s difficult,” or simply repeating what you said and physically conveying that they’re in deep-thought. Non-Japanese people famously struggle with this and take it at face value that the person is actually unsure or considering it, but people experienced with the nuances of the culture will understand that this is a polite way of declining the request.

What to do about it

I wish I could say that once I started taking note of what was happening, I went straight to the CEO and told him and all of our problems suddenly went away. Sadly, improving company communication is a long process, and there aren’t two ways about it. However, the process begins with one person who decides to start taking note. It might as well be you. Start taking note of what’s happening in your office, communication-wise. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is there a default language in our company? In certain situations? Among certain groups of people? Why do people use it? (Really ask yourself “why” — I’ll touch on this a bit more below.)
• How many different nationalities do we have in our office? How many different native tongues? How many people are business-proficient in more than one?
• Should there be a language policy in place? Is there one language that would make things MUCH easier?
• What types of miscommunications keep occurring? What factors can you identify that trigger them? Chances are they’re not all verbal.
• Are there any common culprits? (This isn’t to place blame on anyone, as miscommunication is almost always a two-way street, but identifying people who struggle will help you find ways of alleviating the issue.)

Once you’ve got an understanding of the situation, the next step is of course to consider what you can do about it. Here’s what I’ve found most useful:

• Use humor. If you find yourself in a position where a group of people are speaking your language (perhaps at the detriment of effectiveness or efficiency), make a joke before the next meeting begins, encouraging them to use their native tongue. Say you’re an American working in a Spanish company and come into a meeting room where you’re the only non-Spaniard. Say something like (en español): “I’m outnumbered! Guess I’m practicing my Spanish today!” This will show people you’re willing to speak Spanish, and also alleviate any potential tension. And if someone still insists on speaking English for you, (and your Spanish is good enough) you can now address the issue more directly, pointing out that that you’re completely happy to conduct the meeting in Spanish, and that it would probably be more efficient, to boot.
• Form alliances. Mention the topic to leaders in your company who have some influence. Bring up an example of when communication stalled due to the language used (the last meeting they led, for example), and state that in the next meeting it might be a good idea to ask people to use the stronger language in the room, setting the tone by using it themselves. Be careful not to make it personal, as a lack of language ability is often a sensitive topic for people.
• Pay attention and be empathetic. As mentioned above, it’s not always about learning your conversation partner’s language — sometimes it’s more important to understand their cultural values. Pay attention to common behavior patterns, reflect on moments that left you confused, try to guess how the other person might have been feeling when they were speaking, and you’ll gain meaningful insights into their actual message. People from high-context cultures, like those found in East Asia and the Middle East will typically avoid directly stating their feelings and opinions, preferring to convey them more subtly, something that can be difficult to decipher for those of us from low-context countries (like the US or Germany).
• Build relationships. When all else fails, having strong relationships with the people in your circle will be your safety net when things get awkward. Sincerity, a good sense of humor, and an openness to new ways of thinking will go a long way in helping you form bonds with people from different cultures. People will know that you won’t judge them for their mistakes, and that you are genuinely curious about getting to know them and their culture. This trust and willingness to “meet them halfway” will also make them more receptive to you and your style of communication.

Again, the above are just some of the things that have helped me in my time working here in Japan. They’re universal concepts that will help ease the troubles of cross-cultural communication no matter the situation or setting. But getting professional advice from some guy on Medium is only half the battle — it’s up to you to put it into action.