Blog Entry1

After reading chapter 4: Fundamentals of Listening, the concept that I agree with is how the verbal communication style of direct/ indirect occur between different cultures. In the text, it emphasizes that a listener must adapt to a speaker’s style. From my own experience, I find this very true.
Growing up with two different cultures I can resonate myself how the Danish use a more direct communication style compared to my Vietnamese background. For instance, at school I had to adapt to my teachers’ style when the teachers encouraged us to speak up in class and give comments. Also, they encouraged us to be more direct in our talking and behaviors.
Contrary, when I come home I have to adapt to my parents’ style of communication. When my parents were lecturing my sisters and I, we cannot comment on them even if you knew they were wrong. We just agreed with them. Also, the Vietnamese style of communication is not approached directly. They tend to “talk around the table”. This is mainly because in Asian cultures, they don’t want to “lose face.” This is mostly when the topic can embarrass either the sender or the receiver, or both.