Description:
Sometimes I find it hard to understand my manager’s expectations because of their indirect way of communicating. Would it be beneficial to bring this up, or could it risk our working relationship?
3 Answers
Your manager's indirect communication could be rooted in a cultural or personality difference, often described as high-context communication in sociology. This style assumes shared understanding without explicit statements. Before bringing it up, consider how your own communication preferences influence your perception. How might adjusting your approach create smoother interactions? A practical step is to ask open-ended questions during conversations to gather more details gently. For example say something like "Could you tell me more about what you had in mind?" This invites clarity without challenging their style directly and shows you're engaged in meeting expectations effectively while respecting their natural way of communicating.
- Gregory Jacobs: Thanks for the insight! Do you have any tips on how to adapt my communication style without coming off as passive?Report
- Josiah Wright: Great question, Gregory! The key is to stay curious and assertive without being confrontational. Using open-ended questions shows engagement, but you can also share your own thoughts clearly by framing them as suggestions or clarifications. For example, say something like, "I want to make sure I'm on the right track—does this align with what you expected?" This keeps the conversation balanced and shows you're proactive without overstepping. It’s all about finding that middle ground between listening and expressing yourself confidently.Report
A low-risk quick win is to paraphrase their requests during conversations—this makes expectations explicit and idempotent without calling out their style directly. For a long-term fix, consider suggesting regular check-ins with clear agendas where you both align on priorities and feedback. This creates an automated rhythm that reduces ambiguity over time while strengthening trust, making indirect hints less of a hurdle in your collaboration
I remember working for a boss who was super vague about everything like I never really knew if what I did was right or not and honestly it made me kinda anxious and then I had this one meeting where I just blurted out "Hey can you tell me exactly what you want here because I keep guessing and want to get it right" and it actually turned out okay because they appreciated the directness and started giving clearer instructions after that so yeah sometimes just calling it out can be helpful as long as you do it respectfully maybe frame it like "I want to make sure I'm aligned with your goals so could we maybe clarify expectations a bit more?" That way you show you're proactive about the work and not criticizing them personally but just trying to improve the team dynamic It's a little riskier than just rephrasing things yourself but if your manager values honesty it could actually bring you closer because you'll both be clear on what's needed much better than playing a guessing game that causes frustration down the line.
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