5 ms·

I've not heard of the "PDI" concept before this, but I believe the same thing can be achieved by simply adapting to your audience. The problem is actually know

I've not heard of the "PDI" concept before this, but I believe the same thing can be achieved by simply adapting to your audience. The problem is actually knowing your audience (as individuals) well enough to assess how they will interpret your words. Can you assume that all Saudi's, for instance, will react well to the somewhat cloying language suggested by the OP's post? I think not. But if you don't personally know the audience it's also tricky to know what each culture's acceptably polite "default" is. I've gotten myself into some etiquette faux-pas in the past by using sarcasm and irreverent humor around Chinese colleagues. My previous experience with Chinese folks had been limited to grad school and I had just (wrongly) assumed that such communication was OK as the default.

deleted 4y ago
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seventhtiger 4y ago
As a Saudi I supposed I can comment on this. The minimum of polite language is higher. Profanity can get you in trouble like getting a written warning, and graphic profanity can land you in handcuffs, like insulting someone's mother. Saying son of a bitch is a misdemeanor. My experience in big corps is that the PDI is high but the power isn't so concerned with neutral formal phrasing. Phrasing in Saudi culture can be shockingly informal even at the highest level, since open tribal gatherings were the highest authority in the land until recently. The King and Princes still run open tribal gatherings where citizens can speak informally. Corporate speak is new and still seen as intrusive to how we do business. How PDI would express itself would be preserving face, I guess. You can't contradict superiors or even coworkers too openly and directly, you can't openly disrespect or be irreverent. All possibly disruptive feedback must be private or you're bringing shame to yourself and others. Startups are not like that at all. They're young, irreverent, and passionate. The young people really express themselves in those spaces with barely any hint of the old school social expectations. Guys and gals taking smoke breaks together and focusing on getting the job done.
- jimkleiber 4y ago
  I'm really curious how this interacts with display rules, or the emotions we're allowed to show/communicate in different contexts. When you talk of preserving face: > You can't contradict superiors or even coworkers too openly and directly, you can't openly disrespect or be irreverent. All possibly disruptive feedback must be private or you're bringing shame to yourself and others. Are you saying that you're not allowed to express anger to superiors or coworkers in public? Is it the way it's said, the emotion behind it, or something else that seems to matter the most?
  - ncmncm 4y ago
    Expressing anger anywhere is a business setting is a problem. Anybody can be angry anytime, but your feelings are your business. Stick to the facts.
    - jimkleiber 4y ago
      "I feel really angry that you said my colleague was lazy. As her manager, I know that she has been working late every day, including the weekends, to hit these deadlines." EDIT: Another example: "I feel quite angry right now and it probably has less to do with what you did and more to do with the fact that I haven't eaten yet. So before we do my performance review, could we get lunch so I might be in a better mood to hear it?" I think that would be a way to express anger connected to facts. Do you think that is still something people should keep to themselves?
      - ncmncm 4y ago
        These seem defensible. But it's a slippery slope we are all better off not on.
        jimkleiber 4y ago
        I'd say it could be a slippery slope. But so can passive aggression. I believe the emotion often leaks out in other ways regardless, whether thru our comments or our distancing or more distrust etc. I guess I believe that articulating it can stop the slope from slipping so much.

deleted 4y ago

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seventhtiger 4y ago

As a Saudi I supposed I can comment on this. The minimum of polite language is higher. Profanity can get you in trouble like getting a written warning, and graphic profanity can land you in handcuffs, like insulting someone's mother. Saying son of a bitch is a misdemeanor. My experience in big corps is that the PDI is high but the power isn't so concerned with neutral formal phrasing. Phrasing in Saudi culture can be shockingly informal even at the highest level, since open tribal gatherings were the highest authority in the land until recently. The King and Princes still run open tribal gatherings where citizens can speak informally. Corporate speak is new and still seen as intrusive to how we do business. How PDI would express itself would be preserving face, I guess. You can't contradict superiors or even coworkers too openly and directly, you can't openly disrespect or be irreverent. All possibly disruptive feedback must be private or you're bringing shame to yourself and others. Startups are not like that at all. They're young, irreverent, and passionate. The young people really express themselves in those spaces with barely any hint of the old school social expectations. Guys and gals taking smoke breaks together and focusing on getting the job done.

jimkleiber 4y ago
I'm really curious how this interacts with display rules, or the emotions we're allowed to show/communicate in different contexts. When you talk of preserving face: > You can't contradict superiors or even coworkers too openly and directly, you can't openly disrespect or be irreverent. All possibly disruptive feedback must be private or you're bringing shame to yourself and others. Are you saying that you're not allowed to express anger to superiors or coworkers in public? Is it the way it's said, the emotion behind it, or something else that seems to matter the most?
- ncmncm 4y ago
  Expressing anger anywhere is a business setting is a problem. Anybody can be angry anytime, but your feelings are your business. Stick to the facts.
  - jimkleiber 4y ago
    "I feel really angry that you said my colleague was lazy. As her manager, I know that she has been working late every day, including the weekends, to hit these deadlines." EDIT: Another example: "I feel quite angry right now and it probably has less to do with what you did and more to do with the fact that I haven't eaten yet. So before we do my performance review, could we get lunch so I might be in a better mood to hear it?" I think that would be a way to express anger connected to facts. Do you think that is still something people should keep to themselves?
    - ncmncm 4y ago
      These seem defensible. But it's a slippery slope we are all better off not on.
      - jimkleiber 4y ago
        I'd say it could be a slippery slope. But so can passive aggression. I believe the emotion often leaks out in other ways regardless, whether thru our comments or our distancing or more distrust etc. I guess I believe that articulating it can stop the slope from slipping so much.