Learning India

Making sense of the subcontinent

Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, Communication

Getting a Straight Answer in India

Straight Answer

Why won’t they just give me a straight answer?!

Many westerners feel that Indians are always beating around the bush. They never seem to get to the point, and it’s hard to determine if their yes may mean no.

You need an honest opinion about your new marketing plan, and all you get back are smiles and niceties. You are evaluating a team member that you think may be causing problems, but no one will say a bad word about him. You need advice on handling a special high-needs client, but you feel like no one is actually contributing any insights.

How do you get an Indian to give a direct answer?

Ask better questions. [Read more…]

Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, #GreyIsWhite, #PowerPlays, Podcast

Episode 2: Nick Mitchell

Podcast

It doesn’t take long to realize India’s potential. Given the amazing population advantage, the language advantage, and the commitment to serious work hours, India is in shape to be a major player.

But what about you? If you take up a role in India, are you subjecting yourself to isolation from the home office or are you gaining a chance to grow faster than your peers? Will your time in India be merely a chance to gain some global exposure, or can it be much more than that?

This month’s Working With India podcast features Nick Mitchell, Managing Director of Phenomenex in Hyderabad. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, #See1See100, Hinduism

The Most Important Term From Hinduism You Will Never Talk About

Dharma

“Hinduism is a way of life, not a religion.”

You will hear this phrase over and over as you learn about Hinduism. It is a very true statement, but what does “way of life” mean? Why does Hinduism get to claim to be outside of “religion”?  What makes it so different?

It really comes down to one word. One untranslatable word that most Hindus don’t regularly talk about, but creates the entire structure for their life and society.

 

The most important term you’ve never heard

Dharma comes from the root word dhr that can be translated as “uphold” or “sustain”, according to Indologist PV Kane (quoted in Dayanand Bharati’s Understanding Hinduism). In many ways, the concepts of dharma have been the “supports” for Hindu (and Indian) society for a long time. [Read more…]

Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, Cultural Adaptation

Value Rankings, #GreyIsWhite, and Anne Frank

Value Ranking Anne Frank

Is this moral dilemma familiar to you?

You are a simple citizen living in Nazi Germany, and you are hiding some Jews in your home. The SS comes to your house, and asks if you are housing any Jews. What do you say?

The dilemma, of course, is that if you say “no”, you are lying, and everyone knows that lying is wrong. However, your hideaways are safe.

If you say “yes”, you can pat yourself on the back for upholding honesty, and then watch the troops escort the Jews out of your house to their fate.

We struggle to find the best way out of this situation. How can you maintain the value of honesty while allowing people to walk to their doom? In my culture, our best response to this dilemma was usually answering honestly, and then hoping the Jewish families would miraculously not be found. Pretty lame, looking back on it.

The interesting thing is that this is only a dilemma for some people. It perplexes universalists and people who don’t accept that value ranking is a natural part of how we behave. Everyone else is trying to figure out where the actual dilemma is. [Read more…]

Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, Communication

One Tip to become Indispensable in Cultural Communication

indirect communication

What is one communication skill that will instantly make you more valuable to over 3 billion people?

In our discussion of communication, we’ve seen that directness of communication can be related more to the delicacy of the relationship than the situation, we tend to judge others based on our own Communication Comfort Zone, and we can all find ways to expand our Comfort Zone.

What I’m going to propose next goes against nearly everything taught about cultural communication for years: learn to be more indirect.

Indirect communication gets a bad rap for being subversive, weak, hiding, lying, etc. If you’ve ever sat through an intercultural communication course, the following assumptions are painfully obvious:

  • Direct communication (Western version) is superior to indirect (Asian).
  • We need to fix people who speak indirectly.
  • You should be ashamed of yourself if you don’t say exactly what you mean all the time.
  • We would all be better off if everyone spoke more directly (Western version).

 

Why is that? Because these courses are sponsored, created, enjoyed, taught, and demanded by those who are more direct in their communication.

What if we rejected all those assumptions? What if instead of seeing indirect communication as a professional flaw, we hailed it as an advanced communication skill? What if instead of trying to fix other people, we actually learned something from them instead?

 

Sound interesting to you?

 

14 Reasons You Should Learn to Speak and Interpret Indirectly

[Read more…]

Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, #PowerPlays, Politics

Why India Supports Russia’s Move Into Ukraine

india-russia-ties

India recently announced that it does not support the West’s sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine. While not completely aligning with Russia, India has been the first major nation to offer any public support. 

It might sound surprising given that India usually comes out with a very neutral stance on these kinds of issues, and often in favor of the US/European position.

It might also sound surprising given that India’s most sensitive border issue is with Kashmir.

Traditional ethics might cause India to come to this logical conclusion:

  1. We have a small area of our country that is ethnically and linguistically similar to a neighbor who can be hostile (Pakistan).
  2. We do not want Pakistan to come and steal Kashmir from us.
  3. Therefore we will not support Russia’s advances into Ukraine in case the same happens to us.

 

However, in India, relational ethics (not situational or logical ethics) prevail in all circumstances. It’s not what is involved, but who.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: #ChaosBeatsLogic, #GreyIsWhite, Transportation

The Unwritten Rules of Driving in India

I recently spoke with the Inspector of Traffic Police for Chennai and asked him what advice he would give foreigners who want to drive in India.

He said, “Don’t do it.”

Still, there will be some of us sick souls who insist on our freedom and are willing to put our lives and sanity at risk.

But before you get into the wrong side of the car, realize you are in the passenger’s seat, get out, and get behind the driving wheel, you must acknowledge these three things:

  1. Driving in India will definitely increase the frequency of culture attacks you will experience
  2. Driving in India will increase the likelihood that you will kill someone or something (intentionally or unintentionally)
  3. You must completely forget everything you know about driving.

Driving in India is a lesson in anarchy. But if anarchy is like Indian roads, then it is not so bad once you get used to it.

Lucky for you, I found a great *old Indian driving manual at the RTO. I’ve posted some excerpts you might find helpful.

 

General Driving Guidelines:

When driving, you should assume at all times that everyone around you is suffering from a severe mental disease that makes them either suicidal or homicidal. 

For example, when you are driving down a road in very fast traffic and notice a car waiting to merge, it is best to assume this deranged driver will plan on pulling out in front of you, slowing to a stop, and then making an illegal U-turn. Once this assumption becomes common for you, you will find driving much more pleasurable.

As a driver, your only obligation is to concern yourself with what is ahead of you. Do not refer to the side nor rearview mirrors. Keep moving forward at all costs, and do not stop for any reason whatsoever.

 

Regarding Right of Way:

In every conceivable traffic situation, you always have the right of way. If you decide to ever relinquish this God-given right, these are the acceptable parties you can give it to:

-Vehicles larger than you
-City buses and water tankers whose drivers enjoy immunity in all situations
-Cows

If there is a conflict on who has the right of way, the party with the least to lose will be granted the right of way (i.e. those with no concern for human life, those who are only hired drivers, those who already have scratches on their car, those who are very late for something very important).

[Read more…]

Filed Under: #GreyIsWhite, #PowerPlays, Be Prepared, Daily Living

How to Please the Babu

Your Guide to Filling Out Forms In India

 

Jan Banning People At the office

Photo Credit: http://www.janbanning.com/

 

You will spend most of your first three months in India filling out forms: visa, immigration, customs, mobile connection, internet, lease agreements, etc. Every country has its own peculiarities when it comes to filling out forms, but in India it is all about pleasing the Babu.

Babu is a term given to a government official who sees a lot of papers going across his desk. He signs it or stamps it and passes it along to the next person. If you know how to make your Babu happy, he will pass along your form. If you don’t, he may decide not to approve it.

Before we begin, here’s a story to introduce the topic: [Read more…]

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© Neil A. Miller, LearningIndia.in, and Madras Media Marketing LLC 2013-2015. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given.