Direct vs Indirect Communication

From the articles and the reading, it is seen that direct communication refers to incidences when a speaker communicates their true intentions in their verbal message, expressing their desires and needs explicitly. Cultures valuing direct communication usually consider it as a means of expressing an individual’s confidence and competence in whatever they are doing. On the other hand, indirect communication is where a speaker avoids making a direct statement or a direct answer to a question because of fear of causing tension or bringing about an uncomfortable situation for another party. People valuing this style of communication usually feel that communicating directly, especially when the information is negative is crude and impolite. Generally, while both styles of communication may be suitable in a particular context, speakers need to choose the words appropriately to encourage others to express their views freely without fear of intimidation.

In the first article, indirect communication is as well valued. Global managers who pay attention to the Latin American patterns and norms and respecting the differences in every country often succeed. Also, social interaction is crucial when building business relationships. Generally, mutual themes and patterns tie Latin America together, customs, trade rules, and geography differ across the region. In the second article, indirect communication is valued, and it plays a vital role in the prosperity of an individual or a company. A company may fail to perform well because its top officers who are foreigners in Mexico do not take into consideration the Mexican culture, which values indirect communication. Making an effort to understand the Mexican culture and take it into account in the business can be vital for one’s success.

An example of direct communication involves an incident where a manager receives a report that was written poorly and with several unsupported statements. The manager confronts the secretary and commands the secretary to go back and check the data and proofread it. On the other hand, in indirect communication, instead of confrontation, the manager might say that there seem to be errors in the report, and readers might interrogate some of the assumptions. So the manager can ask the secretary politely to consider checking the report over for another time before wrapping it up.