MonsoonedAcasestudyonprojectdeadlines,theIndian‘yes’RebeccaworkswithUnitedTechnologies,aChicagobasedcompany.SheistalkingonthephonetoAbhinav,themanagerofoneofUnitedTechnologiesvendorsforcustomerserviceoutsourcing.Rebecca:Wereallyneedtogetallofthecustomerservicerepresentativestrainedonournewprocessinthenexttwoweeks.Canyougetthisdone?Abhinav:Thattimelineisprettyaggressive.Doyouthinkit’spossible?Rebecca:Ithinkitwillrequiresomecreativityandhardwork,butIthinkwecangetitdonewithtwoorthreedaystospareAbhinav:Ok.Rebecca:Nowthatourbusinessissettled,howiseverythingelse?Abhinav:All’swell,althoughtheheavymonsoonsthisyeararecausingalotofdelaysgettingaroundthecity.Twoweekslater…Abhinav:We’vepulledallofourresourcesandI’mhappytosaythat60%ofthecustomerservicerepresentativesarenowtrainedinthenewprocess.Theremaining40%willcompletethetraininginthenexttwoweeks.Rebecca:Only60%?Ithoughtweagreedthattheyallwouldbetrainedbynow!Abhinav:Yes.Themonsoonisnowoversotherestofthetrainingshouldgoquickly.Rebecca:Thistrainingiscriticaltoourresults.Pleasegetitdoneassoonaspossible.Abhinav:Iamcertainthatitwillbedoneinthenexttwoweeks.Reflection…DidAbhinavagreetotheinitialtimelinerequestedbyRebecca?WhatmightRebeccabethinkingaboutAbhinav?WhatmightAbhinavbethinkingaboutRebecca?Howwillthisincidentaffecttheirfutureinteractions?Analysis:Thisisanexampleofmiscommunicationduetodifferencesincommunicationstyles.Abhinavprefershigh-contextcommunication,relyingheavilyonthecontextofthesituationtocommunicatemeaning.Inthiscase,hehintsthatthetimelineistooaggressiveandimpliesthatmonsoonsarecausingworkdelays.MostIndiansinRebecca’spositionwillunderstandAbhinav’smessageloudandclear.Rebecca,however,isusedtolow-contextcommunication,relyingheavilyontheprecisemeaningofthewordsexchanged.Fromherperspective,Abhinavagreestothetimelinewhenheresponds“ok”.MostAmericansinAbhinav’spositionwouldunderstandthatRebeccaisstillexpectingthetrainingtobecompletedontime.BothRebeccaandAbhinavneedtoseektounderstandtheaspectsoftheircommunicationstyleswhichareimpactedbyculture.RebeccaneedstobecarefulnottojudgeAbhinavas‘unreliable’andAbhinavneedstobecarefulnottojudgeRebecca’sresponseasrudeandinconsiderate.