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Harmony and Saving Face
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As noted earlier, indirect communication owes much to the importance many cultures place on preserving harmony and saving face. In this exercise, you are presented with a number of specific incidents that require diplomacy. |
| Applying the skills and techniques you've learned in this chapter, write below each description how you would handle the situation to avoid causing embarrassment or loss of face.
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Crop Failure
Your boss has come up with a new scheme for improving crop yields in your province. Since you are the technical expert in this area, he has come to ask you for your opinion. His scheme is based on unreliable data and will in all likelihood not work in your part of the country. It's possible farmers could lose their whole crop if they try this experiment. What is your response?
End Run
In the clinic where you work, the supervisor you report to is ineffective. Because of this person's incompetence, the project you're working on is getting nowhere. You know if you could go directly to this person's superior, the manager of the entire division, you would get much better results-and get them much faster. But if you ignore or go around your supervisor, she will be hurt and embarrassed. How do you resolve this situation?
Moving Up
The counterpart you work with is an agreeable person but not very competent. Now your boss, who is also his boss, has called you into her office to ask you whether your counterpart should be promoted to a new position. How do you respond?
Electronic Mail
Three companies have been asked to bid the job of supplying electronic mail service to the organization you work for as a computer specialist. The ultimate decision will be made by your boss, but he is relying heavily on your advice in this matter. As it happens, a cousin of your boss owns one of these companies, the company asking for the most money and the least able to deliver the goods. Your boss asks you what you think of that company. What do you say?
Tight Spot
At a faculty meeting, the head of your department states a position on an important matter. The school headmaster then turns to you and asks your opinion. You don't agree with the head of you department. Now what?
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